roofer

Regulated Occupation: YES
National Occupation Classification Code: 7291.1
Employment Outlook: Below average occupational growth in Alberta.
Minimum General Educational Requirement: Grade 9
Length of Apprenticeship Training: 4 years of training while you work
Trades Certification: YES (Optional Certification Trade)

OCCUPATION INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:

OCCUPATION INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Can I practice in my trade right away?

It is possible to practice right away; this is an Optional Certification Trade in Alberta. This means that you can work in this trade if you are a registered apprentice, a certified journeyman or if your employer is satisfied that you have the skills and the knowledge expected of a certified journeyman. You need to know that without the Alberta journeyman certification, you will earn less and you may have more difficulty finding employment.

If you have a foreign trade certificate or diploma, it takes less time to complete your certification, depending on your qualifications and work experience. Please contact the Government of Alberta � Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training and obtain information about how you can qualify for the journeyman certification.


READ MORE...See more detailed information for people who have work experience in trades but do not have the registered apprentice title or journeyman certification - Alberta Qualification Certificate

What are the duties for this trade?

Roofers apply various insulating materials (examples: bitumen/asphalt layer, plastic coatings, insulating membranes, vapour barriers, waterproof rubber or thermoplastic compounds), install protecting materials at the edges of the roof (flashes) and finally, cover the roof surface with shingles made of various materials (examples: asphalt, fiberglass, tile, slate, wood shakes, metal). Roofers also inspect and repair roofs, as well as apply waterproof treatments to roofs, basements, foundations, plaza desks and parking structures (parkades).

Roofers work usually outdoors, at varying heights. In the summer, roofers often experience intense heat from outdoors temperatures reaching sometimes close to 30 degrees Celsius, plus added heat from pouring the hot bitumen. There is considerable overtime work in roofing because the work depends on good weather conditions.

READ MORE...See the general occupation profile, employment outlook and training information for Plumbers; please note that companies may have different specific requirements in their job postings and job descriptions.

. Alberta Learning Information Service: ALIS Occupation Profiles
. Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training: Trades Secrets

Please note that companies may have different specific requirements in their job postings and job descriptions.

What other titles are used for this trade?

* Metal Roofer
* Roof Tiler
* Roofer and Waterproofer
* Roofer, Asphalt and Gravel
* Roofer, Metal
* Roofer, Sheet Metal
* Roofer, Wood Shingle
* Roofing Mechanic

READ MORE...See a long list of related job titles for Construction Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics in JobFutures

What educational institutions offer training for this trade in Alberta?

Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training is responsible for organizing trades training and certification in Alberta. At this time, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology(NAIT), in Edmonton, provides technical training. Inquire with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training if you are interested in pre-employment programs and training in this trade, these programs may be offered by other institutions.

Find other educational institutions offering training for trades and other occupations in Alberta: search � EDinfo

What salary can I expect?

Journeyman Roofers in Alberta have a general rate of $17 to $24/hour plus benefits such as: health insurance, pension contributions, paid vacation days, paid sick days, etc� Overtime pay is usually higher than the regular hourly rate, and as agreed with your employer is considered for additional work over the 40 hours of regular work each week.

Apprentice Roofers during their four years of training earn more and more, getting closer to the journeyman hourly rate.
. first year of apprenticeship: 65% of the journeyman hourly rate
. second year of apprenticeship: 75% of the journeyman hourly rate
. third year of apprenticeship: 85% of the journeyman hourly rate
. fourth third year of apprenticeship: 95% of the journeyman hourly rate

READ MORE�See updated salary information at the website �WAGEinfo

What is the employment outlook in Calgary?

People working in the roofing trade find employment even when the construction industry experiences a slow-down, because there is always work in roof renovation and repair. Roof systems require regular replacement every 15 to 20 years depending on roofing system. Calgary�s economy is growing, creating favorable conditions for major renovations and new construction of institutional, industrial and commercial buildings. Home building in Calgary is continues to be very active. Your success depends on understanding how your experience and skills upgrading respond to industry needs.

READ MORE...Is Calgary�s economy Construction Industry

What do employers expect beyond trade technical skills?

Every employer has a set of basic rules that apply to all employees. Employers expect everybody to know and follow these rules that range from being punctual in the morning at the start of the workday, to more complex rules, such as the health and safety program in your unit.

Employers expect good workplace communication skills and a combination of basic mathematics and document skills as required by increasingly complex instructions to operate tools and understand how to use computerized equipment.

READ MORE�Employer Expectations in the Construction

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Start Your Application for Journeyman Certification

Contact the Government of Alberta � Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training and obtain information about the number of apprenticeship hours you are required to complete and what courses you need to take. If you have a foreign trades certificate or diploma you will be advised how obtain your journeyman certification and start practice your trade in the province of Alberta. Earning an Alberta trade certificates qualify you to practice anywhere else in Canada. 

READ MORE...Red Seal Program

Find More Career Options in Trades and Stay Connected

Use the following links to find more information about work in your trade, employment programs and financial help to study. These organizations help you connect with employers and people working in the industry:

. Construction Industry Employer Associations:
  . Alberta Home Builders' Association
  . Merit Contractors Associations

. Energy Industry Associations (Oil and Gas/Pipelines)
  . Canadian Energy Pipelines Associations (CEPA)
  . Petroleum Services Association of Canada

. Your Trade Association: Carpenters� Union Local 1325 in Fort McMurray

. Understand Related Opportunities in Trades : Search Alberta Learning Information Service: ALIS Occupation Profiles and think of opportunities in related occupations and areas of practice.