Tim Stephens, Vice President, Architectural Sheet Metal - June 2026
If we were playing Jeopardy and the answer was “The biggest challenge facing roofing contractors,” the correct question would be: “What is workforce?”
Recruiting, training and retaining a sustainable workforce has been an ever-present challenge for decades. It’s not unique to roofing – it affects all trades across the construction industry.
Take a moment to consider what your company currently does to overcome this challenge and how much it costs you in both time and money. How does it stifle your business growth and limit opportunities for your team? Now reverse that thinking: imagine how your business could grow and what new opportunities it could create with access to a reliable pipeline of eager, motivated employees looking for a rewarding career.
It exists in high schools and trade schools across the state and the country. The name of this opportunity is SkillsUSA, an organization founded in the 1960s to advance career and technical education (CTE). SkillsUSA centers on hands-on competitions in specific trades, where students train and compete at regional, state and national levels. Each year, more than 400,000 students and teachers participate nationwide. These are young people already interested in the trades, yet many have never been exposed to the excellent career opportunities our industry offers.
In 2022, NRCA and the Roofing Alliance sponsored the creation of a Commercial Roofing competition within SkillsUSA. It has since been adopted as an approved contest in over 22 states, including Florida in 2024. This means any high school or trade school in the state can now train students and have them compete in commercial roofing.
Florida already has a proven track record of success that any contractor can duplicate. Students in both high school and post-secondary divisions have competed after receiving training and mentorship. In 2024, Florida students earned silver medals at the national competition and the post-secondary winner now works for a roofing company in Tampa. In 2025, Florida teams took gold in the high school division and silver in post-secondary. The post-secondary student is now employed by a roofing company in Orlando and the high school student has a job offer waiting for him upon graduation.
In 2026, the state competition was held in April, with nationals scheduled for June. The state post-secondary winner already has a job offer from his mentoring contractor to begin work in May.
In the coming months, FRSA will work hand-in-hand with SkillsUSA to identify schools interested in participating in the Commercial Roofing competition. This will allow contractors to partner directly with teachers and students as mentors – training them for competition while introducing them to the roofing industry. These
connections enable contractors to build rapport, identify talent and provide meaningful mentorship that can inspire students to pursue a career in roofing.
A dedicated session at FRSA's Convention & Expo will walk contractors through the steps to get involved. This panel discussion will feature representatives from SkillsUSA, CTE instructors and successful contractors who will share practical information and resources on how to launch this program in your organization in
time for the upcoming school year.
While the competition is an excellent door-opener, the real opportunity lies in the long-term relationship you can build with the school.
In late 2024, my company faced a unique challenge on a military base project. We needed to roll-form over 100 panels, each well over 100 feet long. The job required many hands – all of whom had to pass a strict military background check. I reached out to the trade school instructor I had been mentoring and asked if any of his students might be interested in working a few days on the site. They jumped at the opportunity. Even the school principal asked if her adult son could join the group.
Within 72 hours, we had eight individuals signed up, background checks completed, badges issued and the team onsite rolling panels. By the end of the week, we offered the principal’s son a full-time position and he has been an excellent addition to our team.
Our goal this year is to pair at least five contractors with schools and bring a competitor to the 2027 state competition. By 2028, we aim to double that number, allowing the program to grow exponentially across Florida. This effort will lead to more students being hired and will truly help expand the roofing workforce in our state.
If you’re tired of the same recruitment struggles and are willing to invest the effort to build these connections, partnering with SkillsUSA is an incredibly effective way to develop a sustainable employment pipeline.
Tim Stephens is the Vice President of Architectural Sheet Metal, Inc., Orlando, and serves on the NRCA Board of Directors. He recently worked with NRCA to develop and implement the Commercial Roofing competition for SkillsUSA, providing a pathway for roofing contractors to reach students and teachers involved
with construction education.