Day 4 of BMI Academy’s National Apprenticeship Week College Tour

BMI Academy continued their National Apprenticeship Week college tour with visits to Fife College, Construction College Midlands, and South Lanarkshire College.
Apprentices from Fife College

Members of BMI Academy team are touring several UK roofing colleges and training centres throughout National Apprenticeship Week, as part of BMI's ongoing support for the development of young roofers. Whilst at the colleges, they are speaking to students and lecturers alike, about everything from the most complicated roofing challenges to new technology and innovations in the industry as a whole. 

Yesterday, Simon Dixon, Technical Training Manager at BMI Academy, made his third and fourth of his six college trips by visiting Fife College in the morning, before taking a short journey southwest to South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride. Additionally, BMI Academy Technical Trainer, Michael McHugh, was in Birmingham, taking a trip to Construction College Midlands.

Visiting Fife College

The students and tutors in Fife not only received a comprehensive package of roofing materials from BMI Redland & Icopal, but also enjoyed an exclusive CPD session on pitched roofing delivered by Simon.

“The thing I like most about my apprenticeship is that I get the chance to work away a lot. We travel to a variety of different places, places that I may have never gone to if it wasn’t for me doing an apprenticeship, whether that be the countryside or the various Scottish Islands I’ve had the chance to go to too. ”

- Brandon Malloy, Apprentice at RPS Roofing and Building, and student at Fife College.

“I think I will enter the BMI Apprentice of the Year competition. Because, you’re learning new skills, meeting new people and you’re being put into situations with people who you’d never meet if you weren’t to enter. And I think it would help me build up the skills that I’m trying to work on myself already – presenting, communication and that sort of thing.”

- Hayden Garden, Apprentice for Fife Council and Tiling and Slating Student at Fife College.

Simon also spoke to Trainer and Assessor for Roofing, Dan McLeod. Dan had been a student at Fife college himself just ten years previously. Dan has only been teaching at the college for about six months, and shared some thoughts and advice.

“If I was speaking to an employer, I would definitely say: yes, consider an apprentice, but be prepared to lose your apprentice for periods of time throughout the year, so that they can come to college, and get the training that they need. 

“I think that any apprentice that goes down to the Apprentice of the Year competition, whether they’re from Scotland, England… anywhere in Britain, I think it’s a brilliant opportunity to sell yourself. You know, you’re looking to be the best roofer you can be, and I think the competition presents ample opportunities for the apprentices to excel.

“We very recently received a big package from BMI, which has really helped us to develop the student’s knowledge and understanding. We’ve received tiles; both plain tiles and single lapped tiles, which has been a really great helping hand for the students.”

- Dan McLeod, Trainer and Assessor for Roofing at Fife College

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Visiting Construction College Midlands

Visiting Construction College Midlands

Whilst Simon was talking to the students and tutors in Fife, that same morning, BMI Academy technical trainer, Michael McHugh was speaking to a crowd of students at Construction College Midlands.

“Well, I started doing a bit of roofing work for my uncle, started to enjoy it, so I thought doing an apprenticeship was the obvious next step. I’m in my second year of that now, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s the learning aspect for me. Just learning new practical skills, because the academic route definitely was not for me – I could have gone to university, but I found myself much better suited to an apprenticeship”. 

- Louis Kai, Apprentice at GP Roofing, and student at Construction College Midlands

Additionally, Michael spoke to one of the roofing instructors at the college, Andy Jackson. 

“I think there was a stigma for a very long time that roofing - all hands-on jobs even – were for kids coming out of school who weren’t very bright. Ever since the government got behind apprenticeships, they’ve really pushed for them and said: Look it’s more technical than you think, it is a skill.

“National Apprenticeship Week lets employers know what talent there is out there. I think, it makes them reconsider hiring an apprentice, and in that sense, I think it’s great for the students here, too – they can see the pipeline from their apprenticeship into the world of work; they can see the support and what they have access to. 

“The competition? What a fantastic opportunity that is. There’s not many manufacturers or companies that are willing to put themselves out there to put something like this on, help progress the students, and try and give them the progression that they need. The students should all take it by the horns and have a go.”

- Andy Jackson, Roofing Instructor at Construction College Midlands

Andy Jackson from Construction College Midlands

Visiting South Lanarkshire College

Visiting South Lanarkshire College

After his visit to Fife College in the morning, Simon Dixon headed over  to South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride, Scotland. 

The 20 students at the college, alongside the tutors, received an extended CPD session.

“My dad was a roofer, and so, I wanted to follow in his footsteps and take up roofing myself. I like that we get to use different kinds of materials and take on different challenges on a daily basis. “

- Calvin Leach, Apprentice at Norside Ltd and Student at South Lanarkshire College.

Simon then took the time to speak Ross Hepburn, one of the Roof Slating and Tiling Lecturers at the college, who with many years of experience roofing himself, was keen to discuss what employers look for in apprentices, his thoughts on the Apprentice of the Year competition and on BMI’s continued support.

“Employers are looking for someone that’s going to turn up on time, but moreover someone that’s keen to learn, and wants to be there, which is the main issue employers are really facing.

“I think the Apprentice of the Year competition is a great opportunity for students to further their career. Obviously, they’re still apprentices at this point, but I think the competition gives them that platform to develop those skills to potentially become their own boss or start their own business in the future.

“The support we get through BMI is fantastic. There’s pallets full of tiles that we receive regularly, which just helps the students all round because these are the same materials that they will be using on an actual site. So, if they’re using them while training, it just makes everything a lot easier for them and they can learn much quicker.”

- Ross Hepburn, Roof Slating and Tiling Lecturer at South Lanarkshire College

Be sure to keep an eye out for updates on our social channels throughout the week for more live content from our BMI Academy team.

Ross Hepburn South Lanarkshire College

Enter the BMI Apprentice of the Year

Enter the BMI Apprentice of the Year

Open to roofing apprentices in both pitched and flat, the BMI Apprentice of the Year competition allows you to showcase your skills to the industry, with the winner being awarded a generous cash prize of £1,000 and the prestigious title of Apprentice of Year, as well as three years’ worth of training support from the BMI Academy.



Apprentice of the Year
Apprentice of the year winners 2022

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