National decorating contractor Bagnalls is extremely proud of their 2023 class of apprentices for everything that they have achieved during their time with the business. The company recently hosted an awards ceremony to celebrate their apprentices and reward them for all their hard work.
Bagnalls has multiple branches across the country as well as an Apprentice Training Academy, which is based in Doncaster. This academy helps apprentices learn new skills and gain the knowledge base needed for them to succeed in the painting and decorating industry.
The ability to train new apprentices is positive in the current climate, with painters and decorators increasingly in demand in the UK. Female painters in particular are in high demand, with searches for their services up by 125% in 2023.
Bagnalls is passionate about increasing representation for women within this male-dominated sector, with 26% of women currently holding executive management positions within the company. Bagnalls also has a number of high-achieving female apprentices, including Katie Sanders who recently won the Junior section of the Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year competition 2023, hosted by the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA). With the painting and decorating industry projected to gain £404 billion in revenue by 2024, painters and decorators are expected to be in demand this year. Recent reports reveal the need for over 900,000 new recruits within the construction and trade industries by 2032, with vacancies in the painting trade alone standing at over 2,000 for 2024.
These figures reveal why apprenticeship schemes like those at Bagnalls are essential to the growth of the painting and decorating industry. Joanne Gualda, Director at Bagnalls, says, “The growing demand within our sector shows why apprenticeships like ours are so important – not only for the young talent who undertake an apprenticeship, but also for our company and our industry as a whole! We decided to host an awards ceremony to show our appreciation for our 2023 cohort of apprentices and reward them for their skills and talent.”
Every apprentice could bring two friends or family members to the ceremony to watch them receive their accolades and celebrate together. Joel Mortlock, Group Academy Tutor at Bagnalls’ Training Academy, commented: “It was lovely to see our apprentices enjoying the day with their loved ones. They should all be very proud of their achievements and the progress they have made during their time at Bagnalls.”
This ceremony also marks the first time Bagnalls has presented the David Sunderland Award, in memory of our valued colleague David who sadly passed away shortly after retiring.
David is fondly remembered by the entire Bagnalls family as the Technical and Training Manager. He worked hard to support and oversee the development of all Bagnalls’ apprentices and Management Trainees. He also established Bagnalls’ current Training Academy, passionate as he was about encouraging young talent to achieve their full potential.
This award was given to Luke Keeling in recognition of his apprentice success and positive attitude to delivering quality painting projects for his branch.
Bernie Smith, Operations Manager at Bagnalls’ North West branch, commented “Luke is a valued member of the Ellesmere Port team. He has breezed through his apprenticeship with great results and is consistently praised for his work on site.
“He has developed into a talented young painter who takes pride in his work, accepts feedback and is constantly looking for ways to improve his skills. We are very proud that he has been rewarded for his efforts.”
The whole Bagnalls team had a wonderful day rewarding the apprentice class of 2023 for all their hard work. Joanne says, “We feel very proud of the opportunities our apprenticeship scheme offers young, talented people. We can’t wait to see what our apprentices achieve next!”
About Bagnalls
Specialist painting and decorating business Bagnalls has been a family-run company for nearly 150 years, providing the finest painting and industrial coatings services to clients across a wide range of sectors. The company prides itself on doing things the right way, via investment in its people, health and safety and sustainability.
Feature Image Courtesy of Bagnalls
