Career: Roofers
Having a roof over your head means that you have one of the basic necessities of life: shelter. Early roofs were made of leaves, straw, and branches. Today’s roofers use a variety of materials and methods to protect houses, such as tar and shingling.
Roofers do hard, physical work at heights that others fear. Thanks to them, houses -- and people -- stay safe and dry.
Roofers put roofs on new buildings and repair or replace damaged roofs. They also waterproof walls and foundations.
Did You Know?
- The classic triangle shape of most American roofs was inspired by the Parthenon and other buildings of ancient Greece.
Are You Ready To...?
- Handle difficult materials, such as hot asphalt and asbestos
- Work at heights
- Work outside
- Work an irregular schedule
It Helps to Be...
Strong, steady, focused, and careful. Roofers often have to climb sloped or difficult surfaces, so you should move well and have good balance.
Make High School Count
- Pay attention in math. It will come in handy when you make measurements.
- Sign up for mechanical drawing and shop classes to get experience drafting and working with tools.
- Do your best in English. You’ll need to read about new materials and safety regulations.
- Build computer skills. You’ll need them for making estimates, billing clients, and more if you start your own business.
Did You Know?
- The word pitch is used to describe the slope of a roof.
Outlook
Government economists expect jobs for roofers to grow slower than the average for all careers through 2018. Job openings will still arise, though, because people often leave roofing due to the difficult and dirty nature of the work.
Since repair is a big part of the business, roofers suffer less than other construction workers from the ups and downs of the economy.
Compensation
The average yearly salary for roofers in 2009 was $37,390, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Keep in mind that apprentices start work at 40 to 50 percent of the salary earned by experienced workers.
