14 years of skills demonstrations: NFRC returns to Edinburgh Castle for Build Your Future Skills event

The Nat 5 in traditional roof slating and tiling, delivered in schools by NFRC Members, is now in its second year and has expanded to more schools across Scotland. 

On 27 and 28 May, NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) returned to Edinburgh Castle to support the Build Your Future skills taster event. The celebration of apprenticeships and traditional skills brought together nearly 100 school pupils alongside industry, local and national stakeholders. 

Delivered under the leadership of Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Scottish Traditional Building Forum (STBF) and the City of Edinburgh Council, the event was designed to inspire the next generation of craftspeople, construction professionals and heritage specialists, while demonstrating the importance of protecting and sustaining these skills into the future. 

Across the two days, pupils from schools across Edinburgh rotated through five interactive skills stations, with demonstrations and mini masterclasses led by industry specialists. NFRC Member Compass Roofing Ltd ran the heritage roof slating activity, delivering hands-on demonstrations in slate cutting and nail fixing.  

"It gives young people a chance to try loads of activities, so they know what jobs are out there when they leave school,” said Lewis Miller, company director at Compass Roofing.  

“It opens their eyes and gives them a lot more avenues to focus on when they leave school. They all say it’s very satisfying and they all seem to enjoy it,” he added.  

Other stations covered stonemasonry, painting and graining, timber joinery and modern construction techniques such as thermal insulation, illustrating how traditional craft and contemporary methods work together to maintain Scotland's historic buildings. 

This year's event marks 14 years since NFRC first supported the inaugural Build Your Future skills demonstration in 2012, also held at Edinburgh Castle. The event goes from strength to strength, with growing recognition of the importance of heritage skills reflected in tangible action: National 5 qualification pilots are now running across Scotland, embedding construction and traditional skills teaching directly into the school timetable. The Nat 5 in traditional roof slating and tiling, delivered in schools by NFRC Members, is now in its second year and has expanded to more schools across Scotland. 

"Events like today are vital if we're serious about securing the future of traditional skills in Scotland,” said NFRC Scotland regional manager John McKinney.  

“The drop-out rate in construction apprenticeships shows us that too many young people are arriving without a clear picture of what the work actually involves. Build Your Future skills demonstrations help address that and the growth of the National 5 programme shows that real, lasting progress is possible when industry and education work together. NFRC and our member businesses are committed to playing our part in that," McKinney added.  

While Edinburgh Castle is the most high-profile event of the year, NFRC Members contribute to Build Your Future events and other skills demonstrations across Scotland throughout the year, providing students with meaningful exposure to the varied pathways into roofing and construction at large.