Roofing firm leads by example
In last month’s issue of Hartlepool Enterprise, we briefly touched upon the recent successes of leading roofing company, O’Connor Roofing Services. This month we delve further into the firm’s achievements and the effect it has had on individual staff and the workforce as a whole.
O’Connor Roofing Services is based on Tofts Road East Industrial Estate in Hartlepool, and provides industrial, commercial and domestic roofing services to clients nationwide.
It has achieved a number of significant successes over the past year, which have primarily stemmed from its commitment to the government’s Skills Pledge to invest in staff training.
The company, established in 1945, has a current workforce of 20 people and is a true family affair with three generations of the O’Connor family having run the outfit. Currently at the helm is Roy O’Connor, with parents John and Daphne acting as behindthe- scenes Directors.
The instigating force behind O’Connor’s achievements over the last 12 months is undoubtedly the recruitment of new Training Co-ordinator Louise Cockerill in 2008, who moved from a previous role at Bishop Auckland College. She explains: "When I first joined the company there was no official training programme in place and despite having a highly competent and experienced team of roofers, few of them held any relevant or up-to-date qualifications.
"One of the first things we did was to tap into the resources of ConstructionSkills, the sector skills council for the construction trade. They provided valuable advice and assistance, including help in getting some of the roofers onto NVQ training courses and identifying the need for staff to gain CRB disclosure particularly for work done in schools and care homes."
Louise has now arranged formal training for nine members of the roofing team, as well as business administration courses for office staff and training to managers to improve the firm’s appraisal system. O’Connor’s first official apprenticeship started three months ago, and another major achievement was for the company to achieve Investors In People status in March this year, which required the involvement and commitment of every member of staff and a complete change in their cultures and values.
A further highlight for the company has been the achievement of the ConstructionSkills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Gold Award. This is granted to organisations when 75% or more of its onsite workers hold CSCS competence cards – at O’Connor Roofing 100% of the workforce holds a CSCS card, another result of Louise’s hard work and further demonstrating the company’s commitment to quality and professionalism.
Louise says: "The training and improvements undertaken to date have reflected very positively on the workforce, and they now do their jobs with a sense of satisfaction and pride. It is a competitive market out there and these qualifications, accreditations and awards are really important in making us stand out as an exceptional company and helping us to win those contracts."
For further information, call O’Connor Roofing Services on 01429 222554 or visit www.oconnor-roofing.co.uk.
