Category: <span>Roofing</span>

Category: Roofing

Monster end-of-year report shows that construction and trades topped the list for hiring in 2018

Posted on

By Karen L. Edwards, RoofersCoffeeShop Editor.

The report also analyzed other stats such as the busiest days for job searches and what people are searching for.

Website Monster.com is a leading source of job postings. As 2018 came to a close they decided to scour their data covering everything from top job titles to industries hiring the most and issued this report. It should come as no surprise to those of us in the roofing industry that the construction category was at the top of the list for hiring.

While it was a top category, it’s important to note that Monster placed construction in the category along with trades, production and warehousing. The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report cited the addition of 25,000 jobs in November alone, which suggests these additional jobs might be related to the increase in Amazon’s needs for workers and the company setting their minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Construction and trades was the highest hiring category in 28 states. The next most popular category was Technology – maybe suggesting that there needs to be more technology developed to support the construction industry.

The company’s data also shows that people are not really searching for construction work. The top 10 search terms were:

  • Administrative assistant
  • Part-time
  • Accounting
  • Receptionist
  • Customer service
  • Sales
  • Human resources
  • Warehouse
  • Administrative
  • Manager

The data also showed that the most popular time of year for job searches is in January and February. One could surmise that people are entering the new year with a renewed resolution to make a career change. Eight of the top 10 busiest days for job searches were in January and the remaining two busy days were in February.

If you’ve got job openings it might be a good idea to be sure you get them posted. At RoofersCoffeeShop® we see many jobs posted and employees hired through our classified section. It’s an affordable way to reach a large pool of potential employees that have experience in the roofing industry.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop

The Internet of Things in Construction

Posted on

By Karen L. Edwards, RoffersCoffeeShop® Editor.

The Internet of Things is just about everywhere, and it is going to be changing the way construction sites operate.

I first heard the phrase, the Internet of Things (IoT), related to a new conference that was being planned. This was eight or nine years ago. At the time I didn’t really grasp just what the IoT was and how it would impact nearly every single thing we do.

What is the IoT?

If you’re reading this and still trying to understand just what the IoT is, let’s look at some real-life examples. Did you get a Ring video doorbell for Christmas? It pairs with an app on your phone that alerts you when someone is at your door. You can see who is there and even talk to them remotely via the app. All of this is happening because you have an internet connection at your home that the doorbell uses to communicate to you.

Maybe you got a smart speaker or Amazon Echo device for Christmas. The addition of a smart plug, like a WeMo, makes ordinary things, such as a lamp on the end table in your living room, become part of the IoT. Once connected, you use your internet connection, your voice and your smart speaker to turn the light on and off.

IoT in Roofing

Now the IoT is creeping its way into the roofing and construction industries. You might already be using the IoT in your business and didn’t even realize it. Perhaps one of the most well-known uses is GPS tracking. Do your trucks have GPS monitoring on them? If so, you are using the IoT as the GPS unit on the truck is now able to communicate back to the office where it is and in some cases what it is doing, i.e. sudden stops, speeding.

What’s coming is even more exciting. Augmented reality now exists so that workers can be trained for specific workplace scenarios and to improve safety. Verizon began using this technology in 2018 to train its service technicians so they know how to perform installation and repairs safely from ladders, bucket trucks and in manholes under streets.

The IoT will allow for virtual live support from the rooftop. Using special software and equipment such as Microsoft’s Hololens, a technician on the roof will be able to share exactly what they are seeing with someone offsite. That offsite person will be able to assist in solving whatever problem the technician is struggling to repair.

Wearable technology will allow workers hours to be logged to prevent fatigue and reduce the risk of accidents.  Many of us use Fit Bit and other wristband style technology to track steps and overall fitness activity. These are just being taken one step further and applied to the worksite to help ensure the safety and well-being of the workforce.

Other wearable trackers can indicate exactly where workers are on the jobsite to help prevent accidents or other mishaps. They also can send an alert for sudden jolts, such as those caused by an impact or fall.

Be ready

It can be challenging to stay on top of the latest technologies and understand how you can use them in your business, but there are several resources that can help.

  1. National and local roofing associations – they host annual trade shows where vendors who supply the latest technologies display and demonstrate their use. In fact, the International Roofing Expo is taking place in February 2019 in Nashville. A pass to the expo hall is free.
  2. The Roofing Technology Think Tank – this organization was formed by innovative, forward-thinking industry leaders whose goal is to educate and advance technology into the industry. Sign up for their twice-a-week SmartBrief email to stay informed.
  3. RoofersCoffeeShop® – Your place for news, ideas, education, talking to other contractors in the forum and hearing on industry influencers on topics relative to your business. Visit the site and sign up for the Week in Review email so you don’t miss any news.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop

Roofing Technology Think Tank Goes to Microsoft HQ

Posted on

By Jill Bloom, RT3 Member and Publisher, Roofing Contractor.

 

The Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) met Monday at the headquarters of Microsoft Corp. to talk tech and how roofing contractors can embrace the exciting opportunities it offers today and in the future.
The day consisted, in part, of a series of “Tech Talks” starting with Ken Kelly, president of Naples, Fla.-based Kelly Roofing, RT3 board member and winner of the Microsoft Modern Small or Medium Business category of the 2015 Visionary Award.

Kelly presented an overview of Microsoft’s Dynamics platform — how it’s changed his business by streamlining operations while growing, and has the potential to do even more. Microsoft Dynamics is a line of enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software applications.

He used elevators made by Thyssenkrupp by example. Kelly said some of the elevators made by the company are equipped with technology that can run a test, create a service ticket, find a tech with the best credentials for fixing the problem and automatically schedules a service call – all without a human involved until the problem is actually being fixed.

Kelly said, “we can let our minds run wild on how we could use this technology in the roofing world.”
Kelly wasn’t the only one presenting at the RT3 meeting. Others included Scott Dwyer, business development director at Microsoft Power Objects, and Bill Kramer director of product marketing for Microsoft Business Center. They, too, addressed the potential of technology on various industries. At one point, a video demonstrated how a service technician could guide another person on how to perform a repair (in this case on a four-wheeler ATV) with both parties wearing virtual reality goggles.

The day also included a tour of Microsoft’s Internet of Things lab, where attendees of the RT3 event were able to see some of the amazing technology in the works — many aimed at addressing health and health care needs.

In the second part of the day, participants broke off into groups to develop a task list of how to promote RT3 and what members are learning about, along with ways to inform others in the industry about new technology for the industry.

RT3 was formed to act as a conduit for curating knowledge on technologies that can help contractors and the roofing industry overall. Formed in July of 2017, the group has grown from 20 founding members to more than 60 and incorporated as a 501c6 in 2018.

Source: Roofing Contractor

NRCA’s New and Exciting Training Program

Posted on

By Cotney Construction Law.

At Cotney Construction Law, we are dedicated to bridging the skills gap. Along with the right guidance from construction organizations, professionals, and a roofing attorney, we can meet the labor demand for the future. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) will be fundamental in this process with a new training program that will aim to educate and certify skilled workers. In fact, as one NRCA board member declared, this could be a “gamechanger” for the entire industry.

As we will discuss in this article, the NRCA’s new program will look to accomplish two feats. First, provide prospective roofing professionals with the education and training they need to succeed. Second, certify existing roofing professionals across the nation.

NRCA’s ProCertification Program Requirements

Certification courses and training classes will feature all of the most popular topics within the roofing industry including courses focused on roofing systems, solar, repair, and maintenance services. Students will be provided with educational online courses and training programs.

To become certified, roofers will need to successfully complete a written test and also a skills test. All courses and certifications will be developed off of current industry standards. Experienced and professional foremen will assess the certified skills test and provide training courses as well. Although the program has not launched yet, it should be open for enrollment later this year.

The Purpose of the Program

The primary motivation for this new educational and training course is to bridge the skills gap. NRCA believes that by investing over $10 million into this program that both current and prospective roofers can combat the labor shortage problem. However, another purpose of the program is to add legitimacy to a profession that has never required certifications or a formal training program before. NRCA members hope that this new institution of training and certifying professionals will also garner more respect from industry professionals and prospective clients as well.

Creating Long-Term Professionals in Roofing

The program should also add a certain sustainability to young roofing professionals opting to make roofing their career path. Young workers that join roofing companies on the entry level can enroll in roofing courses to further their education and training. This will help these young workers become long-term, certified professionals. Similarly, active roofers that desire to become certified may receive benefits of an improved salary within their roofing companies.

With NRCA’s vision, one day these certifications may be mandatory by insurance companies. Perhaps even construction companies will require their roofers to be certified in order to propose bids on projects as well.

Source: Cotney Construction Law

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.