Alexis Seals, who took a semester off from Mississippi State University this spring, wanted to work a hands-on job until she could return to school.
She decided to enroll in a commercial roofing training program in West Point after hearing about it.
In Seals’ case, “I don’t have a job at the moment, but it said you could study roofing, get a certificate, and possibly get a job,” he said. In high school, I took construction classes, so roofing is similar to construction, but it’s different. I enjoy working hands-on.
At Graham Roofing headquarters on Tibbee Road, Seals and eight other students began a three-day GAF (General Aniline and Film Roofing) Academy on Tuesday.
GAF roofing instructor Jay McCord told The Dispatch the program began partnering with roofing companies in 2019 to facilitate local hiring. Now, it’s partnering with Graham to increase its labor pool.
“There aren’t nearly enough young guys who are willing to step up and take over these positions and have these super valuable skills,” McCord said. “Everyone needs a roof. If your roof leaks, you have to fix it.
The median salary for commercial roofers is about $45,000, according to McCord.
McCord walked students through safety practices and procedures on the job, including how to wear safety gear, move around on a roof, and set and install a commercial roof.
In order to demonstrate what they learned and what they can do with those skills, the students built a mock roof on a wooden deck on Thursday. The program results in a certificate from GAF Roofing that participants can use when applying for jobs, McCord explained.
McCord said Thursday that on Thursday they took a step back and let them act as roofing crews. By the end of the afternoon, they’ll have this whole thing waterproofed and roofed.
In addition to receiving $250 stipends, each student received a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration training course from GAF Roofing, which certain roofing companies, such as Graham Roofing, require. Christee Holbrook, President and CEO of Graham, said the students will be interviewed for employment.
Having gone from 55 roofers to 42 since 2020, Holbrook began working with GAF in February to set up the program.
It’s amazing what GAF is doing for contractors like us. I’ve spoken with McCord about doing some more, maybe going into some prisons since they do that too.” Holbrook added.
Seals’ application to the program was also welcomed by Holbrook, since few women work in construction.
Approximately 1% of construction jobs are held by women, according to the National Association of Women in Construction.
“We need more workers, so we need to diversify our workforce,” Holbrook said. Women in construction and roofing have been proven to be very beneficial because they are better at multitasking and more organized than men. In construction, there are many benefits for women.”
Ladarius King, another program participant, said he plans to take the experience he gained from the course and apply for a position at Graham, hopefully boosting his earning potential.
Growing up, King always liked doing that stuff, so he wishes he had (studied) construction during school. As a result of this (class), I can earn my free certification now. I just took advantage of the opportunity to come out and now I can take advantage of it.”
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