New roofing academy to offer pre-apprenticeship training to school leavers

A new academy has been launched in North Lanarkshire to develop the next generation of roofers.

Located in Strathclyde Business Park, Bellshill, the DMG Academy of Roofing was founded by Darren McGhee, managing director of DMG Services Group and My Roofcare, with the goal of providing pre-apprentice training for school leavers. The idea is the participants will then progress to an apprenticeship with DMG Services Group and attend South Lanarkshire College to complete their training.

Darren, who has 20 years’ experience in roofing, said now is the “right time to launch” the apprentice-seeking service.

“It’s been on my mind for many years, but I’ve never really had the work or the profile to set something like this up,” he said.

“Winning Britain’s Top Tradesperson in 2019 gave me a profile and now the housebuilders are providing me with work. I have 10 years of work secured so the perfect time is now.

“I can’t wait to expand and invest in the academy – and the next generation.”

“I’ll regret it if I don’t do this now. Every year my team is getting older – roofing’s a young person’s game.

“My aim is to attract 17-year-olds for a four-year apprenticeship. By the time they are 21, I’ll have a skilled tradesperson taught to my standards to work on the sites already lined up for them.”

During the special launch event for the academy last month, Darren and his team welcomed representatives from CALA Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Homes, Balfour Beatty, David Wilson and Miller Homes, along with Coatbridge MSP Fulton MacGregor.

Providing a range of modern facilities including practical training rigs for pitched and slate roofs, as well as classroom areas kitted out with the latest technology, Darren sees the DMG Academy of Roofing as the perfect platform ease new entrants into the sector and help them view roofing as a career with prospects rather than just a job.

Speaking to SCN, he added: “My main aim is to show that we’re trying to stand out from the other roofing contractors and give back to kids by creating apprenticeships and a skill set in roofing to these kids to mould them in life and create opportunities they may never get.”

Full article available on Scottish Construction Now