The concerns about workforce in the industry can’t be reiterated enough. They also can’t be ignored.
As the average age of the roofing workforce across North America continues to rise, and more baby boomers reach the edge of retirement, recruiting and retaining the next generation of roofers is paramount for the industry’s collective survival. Efforts to combat the problem are underway. Training programs like the National Roofing Contractors Association’s ProCertification initiative and others created either by roofing contractors themselves or their partners in manufacturing and distribution are positive steps. So too are the growing connections between the roofing industry and skilled trades recruiting movement, and more federal funding efforts for technical education programs across the country.
Innovations in technology and incentives for training programs in the skilled trades are also helping, but not likely fast enough to turn the tide any time soon. All that said, there are a group of young individuals that are passionate about the service roofers provide to families, businesses and communities. They’re also energetically optimistic about the industry’s role in developing the next wave of business prosperity in their respective markets.
We call them our Young Guns, and celebrate their nominations annually at RC’s Best of Success conference every December. Here’s a brief introduction to the individuals 40 years old or younger that are paving their own paths to business success while also keeping an eye on the larger picture – keeping the roofing industry strong and vibrant for generations to come.
