Roofing Apprentice of the Year Awards

SPRA Training Manager reflects on Roofing Apprentice of the Year Awards

I was delighted to be asked to be one of the judges at the recent Redland and Icopal Apprentices of the Year 2018 competition which was backed by BMI. The calibre of the finalists was extremely high and over the two days of judging I was excited to see and hear the commitment that all the finalists have made to a career in roofing. During the competition the apprentices were not only tested on their practical skills but also on their ability to work in a team, do a presentation, both in a group and as individuals. They also had the opportunity to explore creating a business plan and all the components that are required for it.

It was a very difficult job to choose the two winners out of such a talented group. However after much deliberation by all the judges, Jay Webster was chosen as the Redland Apprentice of the Year and Kieran Forster was chosen as the Icopal Apprentice of the Year. Tom Thompson (Redland) and Joe Burgess (Icopal) were both awarded the highly commended award.

The award ceremony at Cricklade House was a great way to round off a very enjoyable two days of judging and it was good to see the apprentices relax and enjoy themselves after the competition. It would be wonderful to encourage more apprentices to take part and hopefully aim for World Skills competitions.

Source: Mark Thornton, SPRA Training Manager