January 2026, Enigma-IS
Established in 1935, Enigma Industrial Services is a nationwide provider of specialist services, including scaffolding, insulation, protective coatings, and industrial cleaning. We support a wide range of market sectors and deliver cost-effective solutions tailored to new builds, refurbishments, outages, and maintenance projects.
As the engineering construction industry continues to face acute staffing shortages, Enigma-IS is taking decisive action to secure its future workforce. While attracting new talent remains essential, we believe that retaining and developing our existing employees is equally, if not more, critical. Upskilling is not a supplementary initiative; it is a strategic cornerstone of our approach to workforce sustainability.
Roy Rogers, Compliance & Training Director explains: “We are proud to be accredited by the Department for Education’s Apprentice Provider Register, CITB Approved Training Organisation and are part of the Construction Industry Scaffolder Record Scheme, and currently support 107 apprentices, representing 12.5% of our workforce. Our CISRS-approved Scaffolder Apprenticeship Programme combines on-the-job training with structured instruction at our dedicated Training Centre in Derby, which we commissioned in April 2025. Apprentices gain practical skills in scaffold erection, alteration, dismantling and inspection, alongside essential health and safety knowledge. Each apprentice is supported by a dedicated Apprentice & Training Manager, ensuring timely progress and qualification. Since launching in July 2025, five cohorts consisting of 30 apprentices have either commenced or are preparing to begin their training.”
Importantly, 21% of Enigma’s apprentices are over 40, a clear reflection of our commitment to upskilling existing staff and welcoming career changes into the industry. This inclusive approach ensures that experience is valued and that learning remains accessible at every stage of professional life, and the biggest impact they see is on staff retention.
Beyond apprenticeships, Enigma-IS employees are enrolled on our Lifelong Learning Programme, which offers Level 4–6 qualifications across a range of subject areas. These long-term courses, typically lasting 8 to 18 months, are designed to deepen expertise, broaden capabilities and support career progression. While not classified as apprenticeships, LLPs are a vital part of our retention strategy. Aimi Imber, Apprentice & Training manager adds: “In 2025, participation rose by 187%, from 23 learners in 2024 to 66 in 2025. For me, this demonstrates the growing appetite for professional development across our workforce.”
Darren Williams, Operations Director, emphasises: “We believe upskilling serves multiple purposes: it shows our commitment to the industry, supports our growth, and shows new and existing employees that we want to invest in their future. Our Learning & Development Team works closely with training providers to maximise the course content and focus on areas of importance to Enigma-IS and the industry. By investing in our people and sharing industry best practices, we can help enhance our service delivery and quality and increase long-term committed staff.”
To support this ambition, the team has chosen to build a system that records standard levels of achievement for grades within their business but also aids future goals by recording next steps and aspirations. A tool that can deliver a training needs analysis for individuals, regardless of the workplace they choose. To date, over 2,300 training certificates have been uploaded and verified, enabling targeted development and compliance assurance.
“On 1st September 2025, we launched our Training Service Support Desk to enhance service delivery further. This centralised platform simplifies training course requests, apprentice hotel bookings, general enquiries and apprentice-specific support, ensuring a seamless experience for learners and managers alike,” adds Joanne Highes, Learning and Development Administrator.
Roy concludes: “At Enigma-IS, our mission is to empower people to learn, grow and thrive. We believe that consistent, high-quality training is essential not only for performance and compliance but for building a resilient, future-ready workforce. By prioritising upskills as a driver of retention, we are investing in the people who shape our success, today and into the future.”