There’s a growing demand for construction, and the roofing industry is struggling to keep up. With older generations retiring and younger populations steering away from the trades, there's a major labor shortage in the roofing industry. Students and parents agree that trades are quality career options, so why hasn’t the new generation been motivated to fill these vacancies? It is becoming increasingly important that we need to build relationships with local schools and encourage youth to consider a career in the trades.

HR/Business Development

The Georgia Roofing Contractors Association (GARCA) has partnered with Construction Ready, NRCA and SkillsUSA to help our members find tomorrow’s talent, today.  We believe that HR/Business Development plays an important part in building these relationships.  Here's what we suggest:

• Adopt a school using the contact information we provide for teachers and counselors at each of the Georgia schools that have construction classes.
• Use NRCA’s Roofing Recruitment Toolkit to have meaningful conversations with teachers and administrators about careers in roofing.
• Get invited to any upcoming career fairs.
• Participate in the annual Construction Ready Career Expo World of Roofing in February 2024. We have several stations that showcase the different areas of roofing (i.e. estimating, installation, repair and safety). Thousands of students from all over Georgia attend.
• Sponsor State SkillsUSA contests. Booth space is cheap. Contact Betsy Rahm at info@garca.org for more information.

• Talk to state CTE representatives. In Georgia, it is Barbara Wall at BWall@doe.k12.ga.us.  Is there a Roofing week in your area? Ask for one to be added. If they have a carpentry or building sciences course: “I want to sponsor roofing at your school and sit on your CTE committee to be a voice for roofing.”

Contact info@garca.org for our Guide for HR/Business Development  to Partner with Schools.

Contractors

Once HR/Business Development has a built relationship with a school, the next step is for the contractors to teach these kids about roofing.  And we're looking for the best and brightest of these students to participate in the State SkillsUSA Competition and hopefully advance to the National SkillsUSA Competition, both here in Atlanta.

GARCA's partnership with Construction Ready, NRCA and SkillsUSA means we have the connections and curriculum that is needed to get these students trained in roofing.  Here’s how it works:

• Introduce yourself to the construction teacher using contact information provided by the Construction Ready Team
• Let them know that you want the next Commercial Roofing State and National champion to come from their school
• Tell them we will donate all tools and materials, help with standardized coursework, and schedule time to come and teach students.
• Contact your SkillsUSA State Director: “We want to support commercial roofing and will pay for the state champion to attend the national contest.”

For more information contact Betsy Rahm at info@garca.org or 770-615-3751.