It has become evident that traditional hiring practices are not producing an adequate supply of motivated candidates who understand a career in roofing can offer meaningful work, a family-sustaining wage and pathways to advancement. To help address this reality, a newly created roofing program at the Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education center in southern California is taking a fresh approach to the roofing industry’s persistent workforce problem of filling available roles.
The initiative brings together Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education, Baldwin Park, Calif.; the Roofing Contractors Association of Southern California; and NRCA member BEST Contracting Services Inc., Gardena, Calif., a specialty contractor employer partner.
The program
The initiative launched in January and demonstrates how an adult education program, backed by an industry association and an engaged employer, can build a more intentional pathway to roofing careers.
The initiative’s 400-hour career and technical education program is conducted in three academic quarters and is designed to prepare students for entry-level roofing work. Training includes steep- and low-slope systems, installation and replacement, repairs, leak detection, storm damage restoration and regular maintenance. Students learn to use common tools and earn Occupational Safety and Health Administration certification (OSHA 10).
At press time, there were five adult students enrolled. Learners attend classes Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 4-8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The schedule was designed to meet the needs of adult learners who often work other jobs while up-skilling for a new career. Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education’s first group of roofing graduates is expected to complete the program in October.
How it started
For RCA of Southern California’s Executive Director Vickie Sharples, the need for this program was obvious. Association members need workers, and the organization had clearly identified a strategic goal to be part of the solution. However, the program didn’t begin through a perfectly planned rollout. It began through timing, relationships and readiness to commit resources to making this new endeavor a success.
While Sharples was working with a personal contact in the school district to find space for an NRCA intentional training class, Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education staff learned about Sharples’ involvement in the roofing industry. As the school offers training programs in the construction industry, including electrical, plumbing and HVAC, their conversation broadened to other possibilities.
“When Vickie articulated her vision of a roofing training program, we knew our student base already had demonstrated strong interest in construction trades,” says Jeff Palmer, a teacher on special assignment overseeing CTE programs at Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education.
Still, the school conducted thorough labor market research to confirm the program was needed in southern California. The research showed a definite need, and they heard a clear message: The roofing industry wants to hire.
Many students who enroll in adult education view the training as their second—and perhaps final—chance at a rewarding career
Making it a reality
One of the first obstacles faced when developing the program was finding the right instructor. The teacher needed significant roofing experience, enthusiasm for guiding the next generation of professionals and willingness to go through the process of becoming a credentialed adult education instructor in California.
This is where BEST Contracting Services became essential. The company had been seriously considering its role in workforce development. Jesse Torres, chief administrative officer for BEST Contracting Services, said the company had grown from a mom-and-pop-style business to one of the larger roofing contractors in California.
“With that growth came higher expectations from employees, vendors, industry partners and particularly higher expectations of ourselves,” Torres says.
BEST Contracting Services realized the opportunity to give back to the industry by becoming a more active participant in developing the next generation of roofing contractors. The missing piece was Mike Jimenez, superintendent at BEST Contracting Services, who has nearly 40 years of experience. Jimenez not only had field credibility but he also had the time and passion to teach. He previously discovered a love for giving back through education by providing training for interns and employees in the company’s service department.
When he crossed paths with Sharples, the opportunity to teach roofing at the Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education school was exactly the type of contribution Jimenez was hoping to make, and his employer fully supported his efforts.
“If Jimenez wanted to help build the program, our company fully supported him,” Torres says.
That support was invaluable because the teaching commitment involved working evenings and Saturdays, providing documentation, making recommendations regarding the program and conducting interviews.
Classroom lessons
Now in the classroom, Jimenez teaches students more than roofing vocabulary. He has an infectious passion for roofing as a long-term career and talks with learners about how this field has allowed him to build a good life and support a family.
Jimenez tells his students roofing work is more than tearing off and installing a roof—it’s a trade that gives people skills they can carry with them. Jimenez also talks openly about the rhythm of construction work, including busy seasons, slow periods and the importance of sticking with the trade long enough to build opportunity and a reputation as a dedicated employee.
Jimenez learned early on not all students respond well to textbook-heavy instruction.
“Some learners are more receptive to digital, visual and hands-on learning,” Jimenez says. “In addition to traditional textbooks, I use NRCA’s Training for Roof Application Careers materials to engage learners in new content before moving into an adjoining lab classroom or outdoor area for hands-on practice.”
Early signals suggest the program can provide value for contractors as students have already begun applying for jobs in roofing.
According to Sharples, RCA of Southern California has seen enthusiasm from members, including financial support for workforce development efforts.
What’s next
Torres describes workforce development as a long game not a quick fix.
“For BEST Contracting Services, investing in training isn’t just about filling immediate job openings,” he says. “It’s about strengthening the industry and positioning roofing as an excellent trade for individuals searching for a meaningful career.”
That long-term view is important because educational programs need more than verbal support to become successful.
“Successful workforce initiatives require real buy-in, which may include support from management teams, money, materials and staff time,” Torres says. “The people doing the work can tell whether the commitment is genuine.”
The roofing course initiative showcases the important and unique role associations can play in developing the roofing industry’s future workforce. Although an individual contractor may struggle with the time or resources needed to support a program, an association can spread the effort across several interested companies by drawing small amounts of time, money, materials and expertise from multiple members rather than placing the full weight on one employer.
RCA of Southern California has supported the program through industry connections, advisory input, instructor recruitment and help with materials and safety training. Sharples stresses schools need to know the roofing industry will not simply ask them to “teach roofing” and then fade into the background to wait for graduates.
Sharples says the industry can be most valuable by remaining involved as an active supporter while also respecting the education partner’s expertise and constraints.
Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education staff were impressed with Sharples’ proactive approach. When asked what the industry needs to know before approaching an educational institution to start a similar program, Palmer suggests associations lean on their members for help as RCA of Southern California members have been extremely supportive in an advisory capacity, especially in terms of developing curriculum.
“RCA of Southern California members were already aware of the National Center for Construction Education and Research’s Roofing 1 and Roofing 2 curriculum developed with NRCA, as well as NRCA’s TRAC programs,” Palmer says. “They also recognized the importance of industry trends students should be exposed to in the classroom.”
Palmer says Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education staff noted the strong industry support they received when creating the program, which included materials, supplies, time and expertise.
Veronica Valenzuela, Ed.D., director of adult and community education at Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education, suggests industry members approach education with the understanding that these programs may take time to begin.
For example, Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Council on Occupational Education. Before she can begin a new program, the school must seek approval through its board of education. Once approved, the school must pursue approval through the accrediting agencies.
Click here for more information about the National Center for Construction Education and Research’s roofing program.
Valenzuela, Palmer and Andrew Stager, Ed.D., assistant director of adult and community education at Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education, all shared the desire to bring in more students and introduce them to the various roles and opportunities available in roofing.
Many students who enroll in adult education view the training as their second—and perhaps final—chance at a lasting, rewarding career. Often, the students have previous experiences in roles where they lacked opportunity to grow and advance. Adult education students want to know they are committing to a career with a future. And telling the roofing industry story can help them see it as the perfect fit.
More to come
The Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education roofing program is still new, and its final outcomes will continue to reveal themselves. So far, students have learned about the program primarily through Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education’s advertising efforts that have included an open house and advertising on its website and billboards. In an ideal world, the roofing industry would begin to refer potential employees to similar programs so they could become ideal candidates for employment.
Adult education providers exist across the U.S. Many are experienced with offering CTE programs, and they are already serving adults looking for better jobs, stable careers and practical training. These programs are often searching for partners in the roofing industry.
“No other program at Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult & Community Education has had the backing we have had from the roofing industry,” Valenzuela says. “That says a lot.”
NRCA is exploring ways to partner with adult education schools on a national level and will provide more information about how to get involved in your community. In the meantime, contact me at rmolitas@nrca.net if you have questions about how to start a roofing education program in your neighborhood.
REBECCA ELLER-MOLITAS
NRCA’s director of CTE engagement.
