National Apprenticeship Week (10-14 February 2025) highlights the value of apprenticeships in shaping careers, supporting businesses and strengthening the economy. It showcases apprenticeships as a fantastic opportunity for new entrants, career progression and retraining. In celebration of this, IKO is excited to announce a new partnership with SIMIAN, a leading national training and consultancy provider in the construction industry.
Who is SIMIAN?
SIMIAN has been a trusted name in construction training for over two decades, specialising in scaffolding training, health & safety consultancy and specialist trade apprenticeship for the scaffolding and roofing industries. The company delivers accredited training and qualifications to thousands of professionals each year, helping to upskill the workforce and promote industry best practices.
Practical learning with professional materials
The new partnership will see IKO providing essential flat roofing materials, including built-up roofing and single-ply products, to support SIMIAN’s roofing apprenticeship programmes. By integrating industry-leading materials into training, apprentices will gain practical experience that closely mirrors real-world working conditions, setting them up for success on-site.
The initiative was facilitated by the North West Roof Training Group (NWRTG), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to enhancing, improving and providing training for roofing contractors throughout the North West of England and Wales.
Kerry Parker-Wray, Strategic Development Director at IKO, added: “This partnership is about more than just materials – it’s about building a highly skilled workforce for the future. By working with SIMIAN, we’re able to support more people entering the roofing trade, sharpening their skills and building lasting careers.”
Bridging the skills gap
With the construction industry facing an ongoing skills shortage, IKO and SIMIAN’s collaboration aims to help address a crucial need for qualified roofing professionals. Roofers currently have the longest waiting lists of all trades due to a shortage of skilled operatives. Research shows the average customer wait time for a roofer is nine weeks, compared to the national average of five weeks for other trades.
Simon Hughes, Managing Director at SIMIAN, said: “We’d like to thank IKO for their donation of roofing materials, allowing our apprentices to get hands-on and nail their skills. Getting more roofers into the industry and making sure they’ve got what it takes to succeed is so important. With the demand for skilled tradespeople higher than ever, partnerships like this really help make it happen. The industry needs fresh, motivated talent, and we’re proud to help build that foundation.”
Looking to the future
IKO and SIMIAN share core values of social responsibility and industry excellence, demonstrated through their joint commitment to upskilling labourers with apprenticeships and qualifications. By providing essential training materials and resources, the partnership creates clear pathways from entry-level positions to fully qualified professionals. As National Apprenticeship Week highlights the transformative power of vocational training, this initiative exemplifies how industry collaboration can build a stronger future for construction.
Interested in a career in roofing? Visit the SIMIAN website for information on its training courses.
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