In the face of the UK’s housebuilding skills shortage, Russell Roof Tiles is investing in the next generation of roofers.

The firm has donated over £6,000 of roof tiles and accessories to Construction College Midlands in King’s Norton, Birmingham, which will now have access to a comprehensive product package with the latest innovative products and materials in the market.

The college offers various construction training courses and qualifications to a defined and industry-agreed standard, from bricklaying to scaffolding and roofing. It currently supports apprentices from across the UK into the roofing contractor businesses, many of which work with Russell Roof Tiles.

As a leader in the industry, Russell Roof Tiles remains committed to future-proofing the sector and investing in skills training and innovation. It has its own on-site Training & Innovation Hub that is used by professional contractors. The team recently supported the National House Building Council (NHBC) in an interactive, hands-on training session at the £100,000 facility.

Daniel Hancox, Corporate Sustainability & Development Director at Russell Roof Tiles, said: “We wanted to support Construction College Midlands and make a difference to today’s roofing workforce and the future generations. When visiting the site, the team highlighted their need for roofing materials and full roof compatible systems to demonstrate to the apprentices the importance of getting product choice right first time, and the correct way to use and install these products together.”

The donation means that the college did not need to purchase the products from local merchants, which otherwise might have restricted already-constrained budgets. The college now also has more funds available to focus on other areas, such as site improvements or facilities for learners.

Arthur Jevons, Site Manager at Construction College Midlands, said: “We are delighted to receive the comprehensive roofing product package from Russell Roof Tiles. Donations such as this allow us to continue to train our apprentices to the very highest standard and support the UK’s rapid housebuilding rollout.”

The product package included Russell Roof Tiles’ Bute3® tile and accessories range, natural range tiles, underlay and ridge tiles.

Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent concrete roof tile manufacturer supplying products for national housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects. The company produces hundreds of thousands of tiles and related fittings and accessories every week that are used on pitched roofs across the UK.