Contractors Collaborate to Kickstart Careers in Roofing

TWO NORTH EAST roofing contractors are tackling the industry’s skills crisis by kick starting a new initiative to help establish a pipeline of recruits for careers in roofing.

Barclay Roofing Ltd, based in Stockton-on-Tees and AAA Roofing Ltd in Redcar have joined forces with Redcar and Cleveland College to develop an intensive six-week course to learn basic skills in preparation for a career in roofing.

The ‘Get Ready for Roofing’ course offers up to 16 candidates aged between 18 and 25 who are currently unemployed an introduction to roofing knowledge and skills. The course, funded by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority aims to get trainees site ready.

Get Ready for Roofing

Those completing the course will get a guaranteed interview with the roofing firms for a six-month paid work placement, which is partially funded by the government Kickstart scheme. Barclay Roofing believes this is the first time the scheme has been used in this way.

Following a successful six-month placement, Barclay Roofing and AAA Roofing will move the youngsters into permanent employment as apprentices working towards roofing NVQ qualifications.

Esme Flounders, Business Development Director at Barclay Roofing, said: “With an ageing workforce and a lack of dedicated training for roofing skills in our part of the country, contractors across the region are crying out for more skilled tradespeople.

“Being one of the larger contractors in the North, we recognised that it was sufficient to simply recruit – we know we need to ‘grow our own’. But, we wanted to do this in the right way, offering quality training and genuine long-term career opportunities.

“Many of our current team of operatives have been with the company since our inception 35 years ago. We hope that this scheme will ensure that in 35 years’ time, we will have an equally skilled team of people committed to their trade, and to our company.”

Careers in Roofing

The new course has been created to test aptitude for a career in the roofing industry and includes everything a candidate will need to safely work on site and begin longer term accredited training.

Offering an introduction to construction skills, working at height, health and safety, asbestos and abrasive wheels awareness, the course also covers personal development, interview skills and offers a CSCS test for a Green Card.

With the potential to move into employment following the work placement, Esme added that the course is a huge step forward for roofing skills in the Tees Valley. Currently, those who wish to follow a roofing apprenticeship must travel to Newcastle or Leeds.

It is hoped this end-to-end skills programme will create a pipeline of high-quality skilled roofers for the area and go some way to reducing the roofing workforce shortage.

High Quality Careers

Ben Blackburn, Managing Director of AAA Roofing said: “I am incredibly proud to be working in collaboration with Redcar and Cleveland College and Barclay Roofing to offer a focused, skills-based training and career pathway.

“We know that unemployment has been an issue across the area for many years and has been exacerbated by the pandemic.  In launching this programme, we are not only working to move the industry forward by injecting the next generation of skills, we are offering high quality career opportunities for the long term.”

The first course is due to start at Redcar and Cleveland College in May. Whilst needing a good head for heights, candidates should also enjoy being outdoors, staying fit and working in a team. Potential recruits must be aged 18 to 24, be claiming Universal credit and be referred to the programme by their JCP Work Coach.

Candidates and employers who are interested in learning more about the programme can contact the College team on 01642 865561 or email employability@stockton.ac.uk.