First Roof, Slating and Tiling Apprenticeship launched in Wales
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), National Construction College (NCC), Bridgend College and The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) have launched the first Roof, Slating and Tiling Apprenticeship in South Wales.
There are already nine learners due to start the apprenticeship in March 2026, and work is underway to engage additional employers and learners for the next cohort that will start in September this year. The learners will receive a mix of both in the classroom and outdoor, practical training from a CITB roofing tutor.
Jane Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, attended a launch event for the new apprenticeship at Bridgend College on February 5. The event presented the opportunity for all partners to come together to see the culmination of months of hard work and celebrate the fact that for the first time a Roof, Slating and Tiling apprenticeship is now available in Wales.
This is just the beginning for this apprenticeship, which will go from strength to strength and acts as a prominent reminder of what collaboration can achieve across the construction industry when backed by the right insight about skills gaps, demand and competency requirements. The provision of the new apprenticeship will be used as a platform to bring further training and learning opportunities closer to where people live and work, based on the needs of the Welsh economy as the construction workforce continues to drive forward to meet the demands placed upon it.
The availability of fully trained apprentices is becoming a significant issue for the construction industry across the UK. CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook forecasts over 47,000 extra construction workers are needed in the UK each year by 2029. In Wales in particular, it is forecast the industry needs an extra 1,720 extra workers each year by 2029 to meet demand. Across the UK, it is forecast an extra 630 roofers are needed by 2029, and at least 50 of these new roofing entrants need to be based in Wales.
Julia Stevens, Engagement Director, Wales, CITB said:
“Those in the roofing sector, Bridgend College and colleagues at the National Construction College who have made this a reality should rightly be proud of the immense achievement it represents. The development of this provision in an area where we know there is high demand for the skill set across public and private sector work has been a real area of focus for us at CITB over the past three years. In that time, CITB has been working in partnership with industry and Bridgend College to ensure that the solution is sustainable and fit for purpose.”
Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, said:
“I was delighted to visit Bridgend College and celebrate the launch of Wales's first roofing apprenticeship pathway - a real milestone that means Welsh apprentices no longer have to travel to the Midlands for this specialist training. We have now exceeded our target of delivering 100,000 apprenticeship opportunities by the end of this Senedd term. That's 100,000 chances for people to earn while they learn, and 100,000 opportunities for employers to grow the skilled workforce they need.”
Denise Brookes-Cooze, Head of Work Based Learning at Bridgend College, said:
“Apprenticeships connect learners and employers while delivering sustainable skills for communities across the region. Launching Wales’ first Roof Slating and Tiling Apprenticeship, in partnership with CITB, demonstrates how our industry-led provision supports learners, employers and the long-term sustainability of the construction sector.”
Stuart Black, Regional Manager – South Western England and Wales, NFRC, said:
“On behalf of NFRC, I would like to sincerely thank CITB and Bridgend College for their essential work to develop a new roofing course in Wales, launching in March 2026. This programme marks an important step in strengthening Welsh training provision and expanding access to roofing careers at a critical time. It was also good to have the support of Welsh Government, and the visit of Ms Jayne Bryant was great to hear her support and commitment to support skills and development of Wales within Construction.”