What do you think is the biggest obstacle to recruiting young people to the industry?

There are multiple obstacles as it relates to recruiting young people to join our industry. The biggest challenge has been convincing them that a successful career path in roofing is achievable and there are several paths to achieving success in our industry that do not require starting as a helper on a roofing crew.

Many people “fall” into their careers and do not necessarily choose their path. A few young adults have clear direction—they always wanted to be in law enforcement or teach or become a doctor. The biggest obstacle is lack of knowledge about the industry—how rich it is with a variety of jobs; how roofing companies can be found in every community; opportunities for growth; stability; and good pay.

Exposing young adults as early as middle school to the “world of work” so they can see themselves in the future and then how education fits is a proven model. We participate every summer with three local nonprofits that place high school externs in temporary four-week positions. Several of our employees speak at career days at middle and high schools. We host tours of our campus and have students hear from employees in various roofing industry positions; the most powerful tends to be the employee who started in the field and worked his or her way up to become a manager. Our next initiative is with the local Boys & Girls Club, which is developing a summer program to expose youth to the trades!

One of the biggest challenges with the younger generation is the need for immediate gratification. A career in roofing takes time and patience, and getting younger people to appreciate that can be a major obstacle. Other industries that can allow more flexibility, such as the ability to work from home, tend to attract more applicants compared with the construction industry.