Introduction

The roofing industry is one that has grown over time as it’s an important part of the construction department. It involves the outside part of the building's construction which provides shelter for the house or building that is under construction. This industry has always been associated with casual labourers who have not secured formal jobs but currently, it has become a career like any other that requires one to go to school and get the relevant skills that are required. Research has shown that employment in the roofing industry is estimated to rise by thirteen percent from the years 2013-2024 which is quite promising as compared to other careers. This research paper will particularly look into the careers in the roofing industry.

First and foremost, the roofing industry has the responsibility of providing quality materials that can be used in roofing and this normally dependent on the customers’ budget, material availability and the building under construction. The goal of this industry is to be a one-stop shop where one can get all the materials needed during the building of a structure and also provide information that can be useful to their customers as they look into buying their preferable roofing materials.

In this regard, communication and customer satisfaction are at its peak in the roofing industry. Communication is not only essential to the customers but also within the industry as well. The industry has implemented this quite well by ensuring that there are regular meetings with the employees where they can all have an overview of what is not working well and what needs to be improved, open policy where employees can freely approach management on issues that affect them and identification of a unique goal as this ensure that both the industry and its employees are in sync as they go about their daily activities (Eisenhauer, T, n.d.).  Customer satisfaction, on the other hand, is ensured by the industry when they provide quality materials that can be used for roofing and also good advice when needed by the customers as a guide to what affordable materials they should be looking for depending on their preference and the building that is being constructed.

Available Employment Positions

Branch Manager 

This is a very critical position, whereby the manager is supposed to recruit, retrain and coach a team of ground representatives. In addition, the branch manager is supposed to hold weekly sales meetings whereby the goals of the department will be discussed together with the field representatives. In addition, the manager is also supposed to analyse and arrange business model (Roofers, n.d.). Provide the sales teams with strategies of achieving sales targets in their specific areas of target. Finally, the manager should also monitor the progress of achieving the specific business model, as per the requirements of the company. The annual salary of a branch manager is $40,000-$200,000, and it is a full time employment.

Inside/Outside Sales      

Inside/Outside sales is a very important position in the company, as it allows the company to reach its customers in different ways. The inside and outside sales representatives are required to have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the field of sales and marketing, and should also be holders of bachelor’s degree in sales and marketing (Roofers, n.d.). Their main task is to foster both internal and external communication with the employees, either through the website or through meeting the actual customers in the field and advising them. The agents are also supposed to meet daily sales targets, which should go hand in hand with the requirements of the company.

Warehouse Supervisor/ Employee   

A warehouse supervisor is mandated with the task of keeping records of all the activities taking place inside and outside the warehouse. This is also a critical position, and one is supposed to understand book keeping, thus being able to keep inventory of the activities taking place in the warehouse (Roofers, n.d.). The supervisor controls the storage and supply of building materials into and outside the warehouse, thus it is the responsibility of the supervisor to make sure that the operations in the warehouse take place in the right way.

 

This is an industry as mentioned above that keeps growing and the fact that it is a roofing industry it is not just restricted to roofing activities alone but rather there are other job positions that individuals can apply and get employment in this industry. The available job positions include laborers, project foreman, and manager, operators in charge of the equipment’s and machinery, metal sheet and masonry workers. All these job positions are very flexible and one may not be confined to a specific place but rather every day at the construction site is a great experience for everyone.

Therefore, just like any other industries, the employees need to possess certain relevant skills that will allow them to have a career in this field. The job qualifications require that the employee should have at least gone to school and acquired the very basic skills and have successfully excelled in mathematics, vocational training, and other mechanical capabilities. The responsibilities that they are tasked with include check for any problems with the roofs and ways to repair them, replacement of old and worn-out roofs, give roof measurements to determine the materials that are needed, installation of insulation layers or barriers needed for vapor, alignment of the materials with the roof’s edges, and cutting of the materials used for roofing so that they can fit appropriately around the vents (Roofers, n.d.).

Additionally, as much as one could have all job qualifications in terms of education and could also perform the outlined responsibilities, they need to be trained as well. Training is a very basic way of ensuring that they can apply the technical and written skills that they acquired while in school. It could also be training that can be given while the employee is on the job whereby the more experienced workers can give the new workers guidance on how to use the materials and equipment. During this training period, the new trainees are required to start with small tasks such as carrying materials and after the training, they can quickly advance to more complex tasks.

Besides the training that the roofers have to go through may also include a three-year apprenticeship schedule whereby they are required to have gone through 144 hours of technical orientation and another 2,000 hours of on the job program where they will be paid. Some of this apprenticeship programs are sponsored by construction agencies and departments that may include basic qualifications such as be eighteen years and above, have qualified in high school and be physically healthy to perform tasks.

Additionally, careers in the roofing industry are always available for the most part since there are replacements that are done when roofers leave and join other industries. Employment is always very high since repair and replacements of roofs is almost a full-time job as well as the installation of the roofs which is always in demand all year round. This makes the growth of jobs in this industry very high and that is why it continues to attract more and more employees who are seeking a full-time job. They just need to have certain skills such as balance since they work on high and steep places, physical strength and stamina.

This employee’s just like any other strive to advance in their jobs and not just get stuck on one position year after year. The roofing industry allows for advancements in the career as preferred by the workers. A laborer, for instance, may sharpen the skills that they already possess and become a foreman and later a manager in this industry. All this can only be achieved through experience which will allow one to sharpen their skills and expertise and become good at the job.

The expected salary will mostly depend on one's position in this industry. The comparison between this two facets is important for this context.  A foreman’s salary is definitely different from that of the manager and the salary of a new worker is usually in the 50-60 percent range of the salary that other workers who have a full training earn. Statistics have shown that in May 2015, the roofers’ annual salary was $36,720 and the lowest earners earned $24,560 while the highest earners got at least $62,180. The salary that they get is quite good and will depend on the employees’ current position in the company. The earnings that they get also increase as the tasks that they were given advance and become more complex.

Despite the good aspects of the roofing industry, there are current issues that have a negative impact on the industry. These issues are such as occupational fatalities which include a lot of injuries that are incurred on the job. The roofing industry entails working with dangerous equipment’s and also working on the very high ground. This puts the roofers at a very high risk of getting very serious injuries. According to Fredericks, T. K (2005), the roofing industry is among the industries that have a great problem in regards to injuries that occur as they go about their work. The solution to this problem is that they should have mechanisms in place that will ensure the safety of their workers. The industry also should ensure that the roofers are experienced so that they can employ the required measures needed at work.

The other issue is the lack of a work force that is experienced. This industry has always been associated with individuals who for instance are not learned and this would mean that the workforce that will be employed is not experienced and this would subsequently result in poor quality of work. An experienced roofer is required to understand the job prior to employment or they can also learn while on the job where they can be given tasks that are not that complex where they can advance as they improve their skills. Currently, a roofer needs to have certain requirements and certifications as mentioned above that allow them to be well equipped for the job and thus quality results.

Finally, communication is another issue that is being looked into and improved by the industry as they develop and progress. In the industry communication problems usually, stem from the fact that the employees cannot talk directly to the management about issues that affect them. The laborers at times don’t know when payments will be made due to poor communication in the workplace leading to issues such as strike and property distraction. I would recommend that the open policy is employed as mentioned above that ensures that management and the employees can interact positively and share ideas and other issues that affect them (Austin, J., Kessler, 1996).

Conclusion

In conclusion, a career in the roofing industry is very promising since constructions take place all year round and their expertise will be needed. The qualifications and rewards is good and account for most of the employed personnel. The roofers need to have certain job qualifications where they will be required to undertake certain responsibilities. Training, career advancements and current issues that affect the roofing industry are also issues that have been looked into exhaustively in this paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                       

 

 

 

 

 

References

Austin, J., Kessler, M. L., Riccobono, J. E., & Bailey, J. S. (1996). Using feedback and reinforcement to improve the performance and safety of a roofing crew. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 16(2), 49-75.

Eisenhauer, T. (n.d.). 30 Smart Tips to Improve Workplace Communication. Retrieved July 23, 2017, from https://axerosolutions.com/blogs/timeisenhauer/pulse/210/30-smart-tips-to-improve-workplace-communication

Fredericks, T. K., Abudayyeh, O., Choi, S. D., Wiersma, M., & Charles, M. (2005). Occupational injuries and fatalities in the roofing contracting industry. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 131(11), 1233-1240.

Roofers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2017, from https://collegegrad.com/careers/roofers