Laubach Literacy Ontario

Apprenticeship and Skilled Trades Series
Tyler the Roofer

Written by: Diana White

Published by Laubach Literacy Ontario 2023

Tyler the Roofer

Work Keeps Coming I am surprised to see how common it is to be approached by people who live nearby while I am working on a roof. There is always interest in quotes for their own roof, so it is common to do three or four roofs on the same street over a season. Many people don’t know which roofers are trustworthy so seeing a job from start to finish leaves them more at ease. It is a real compliment when they hire us to do their roof after witnessing our work ethic and quality of work. Repeat customers are another part of the business as a number of customers own cottages. A few clients have hired us to travel 2-3 hours out of town to do their roof. These jobs were especially fun because we often had access to a beach during down time. By far the most business we receive is from customers recommending us to other customers. For a successful roofing company there is not much need to drum up business. We are busy from March/April straight through to November/December, depending on the weather.

Earn While You Learn Things were going so well that the owner of the company told me that they would like to sponsor me as an apprentice and provide all the necessary hands-on training. After they were approved as a sponsor, an online apprenticeship training application was completed through Skilled Trades Ontario. An apprenticeship training program is made up of on-the-job and in-school training. The Registrar of Skilled Trades Ontario has set the hours of apprenticeship training for the Roofer trade at 4,000 (approximately two years), which consists of 3,520 hours of on-the-job work experience and 480 hours of in-school training. This was ideal because it meant I would be able to continue to work and submit any hours toward the required on-the-job work experience. That is one of the greatest things about participating in an apprenticeship training program – you earn while you learn! It is also beneficial to the employer as the person being trained will not only be trained to provincial industry standards (in the classroom) but will also understand your unique workplace conditions. It seems like a win-win situation!

No Roofing in the Winter The months since I started working for a local, family-owned roofing company were by far the best working months of my life. I continued to learn both on the job and in class, which made me more capable and far more confident in every aspect of the job. Even the highest pitch roofs no longer made me nervous! Work was so enjoyable that time absolutely flew by. Before I knew it, it was November, and the weather became a challenge for outdoor work. Now I had to think about what I could do over the winter months. As we finished up the last couple of roofs for the year and employees were being sent their ROEs (Record of Employment) so they could apply for Unemployment Insurance if desired, my boss approached me and asked if I would be interested in working over the winter months. Not only did the company do roofs but they also handled snow removal for a number of customers through the winter months. I excitedly agreed and continued to work through the winter.

Things Are Looking Up By the end of that first week my boss registered me for Working at Heights training, which is a requirement for any worker on a construction project that uses fall protection systems. The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations require workers to use fall protection systems when they could fall from a height of&nbsp;3 metres or more. Using some type of harness isn’t enough to keep an employee safe. It is important that they are educated on basic occupational health and safety awareness training&nbsp;specific to working at heights. Topics included: ·assessing hazards and safe working practices ·fall prevention techniques and fall arrest systems ·minimizing fall injuries with fall protection measures. Once I completed my training at heights, I was working up on top of the roofs more often, although it took me a little while to become confident on a roof with a high pitch (which means the roof is on a much steeper slope). As I became more familiar with everything, I was given more responsibilities and was now doing just about everything except actually laying shingles.

The Move My family realized that remaining in the situation I had created for myself would result in nothing positive, so they decided it would be best for me to complete my high school somewhere else. I had relatives up north (about 5 hours away). After some discussion, one of my uncles and his wife agreed that I could stay with them while I completed my final year of school. &nbsp; I wasn’t very enthusiastic about moving to a new city, but I was excited to get to know my father’s relatives a little better. He had passed away when I was 8 years old and there had been very little opportunity to visit his side of the family. Thankfully most of them lived in the same city so I knew I would have a chance to make some connections I had missed through the years. A few weeks later I was in a new city and registered at a new school. It was the same high school that both of my parents had gone to. I have to admit that there was something very comforting about that. It really put my mind at ease somehow.

Life as an Adult It turns out my family was right to suggest a move. I attended my classes regularly and my grades improved a lot. I very quickly had a nice group of friends and I was back on track to complete high school by the end of the school year. Not only that but I met a very special girl who became a big part of my life. I really didn’t have any plans after graduating. Some of my friends went to university or college but there wasn’t much that I was interested in pursuing. I worked some odd jobs to make ends meet before I found something more permanent at a nearby factory. Then I was able to rent an apartment of my own and begin life as an adult. Life was pretty good for a while…until it wasn’t. An unexpected break-up that left me heart-broken and a little bitter happened a few years later. Two years after that, I butted heads with new management at work and found myself without a job. There was nothing else keeping me up north so I decided to move back south.

Ground Control The following morning when I arrived at the address I had been given there were already a couple of other guys up on the roof ripping off the old shingles. The new boss gave me a quick safety “rundown” and told me what he wanted me to do for the day. I would be handling any debris that ended up on the ground. It was a bit of a relief that he didn’t rush me up onto a roof as it had been some time since I had been on one. This also gave me a chance to take in everything that was happening. A large blue tarp helped contain much of the waste. It was important to clear the tarp as quickly as possible to make room for more as work continued. It didn’t take long for me to have that under control and to help in other ways while waiting for the tarp to fill up again. I laid out shingles in manageable piles to be carried up the ladder to the roof as needed, organized tools in the order they would be required, and continued to keep the tarp clear of debris. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and I was loving every minute of it!

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Tyler The Roofer Activity booklet.pdf

Tyler The Roofer Activity booklet Answer Key.pdf

Click on the icon to download a PDF copy of the book:

Tyler the Roofer.pdf

Roof Replacement Jobs We tackled some repair jobs but most jobs were complete roof replacements. Even though there are many different styles of roofs, most require the same materials. There are nine products required on every roof replacement job. Some jobs require more than that but, in general, these are the products needed to begin a job. The roofing company orders these from a supplier ahead of time so that materials are on site early in the morning before work is to begin. 1) Drip Edge - Drip edge is a metal (usually aluminum) flashing that’s installed along the roof edges. 2) Ice and Water Shield - Ice and Water Shield is a rubberized “peel and stick” underlayment that protects the most vulnerable areas of your roof from damage caused by ice dams and wind-driven rain. 3) Felt / Synthetic Felt - Felt covers the rest of the roof after the ice and water shield is installed. 4) Starter Shingles - Starter shingles are installed on the eave and rake edges to help reduce the risk of water infiltration and also to prevent shingles from blowing off during high winds.

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<a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/tool-belt-roof-belt-tool-739152/">Image source</a>

4. Describe the characteristics of various insulation materials and vapour retarders, flashing membranes, field sheets and flashings and describe procedures for installing various types of walkways and protective ballast for specific roofing applications. 5. Describe the various types of membranes and application procedures for built-up roofing (various types of bitumen and application procedures), in accordance with drawings and specifications, manufacturers’ guidelines and the CRCA manual. 6. Strip roof in preparation for roofing applications, re-roof and resurface and complete a variety of roof repairs and perform water and damp proofing applications. 7. Describe installation and repair procedures for shingles, tiles and preformed rigid sheeting materials, in accordance with drawings, specifications, manufacturers’ guidelines, building codes and by-laws, CSAO, the CRCA manual, the OHSA, WHMIS guidelines and clients’ requests. 8. Interpret more complex drawings and locate items in the architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical drawings and describe the trade science of roofing practices and procedures.

Program Outcomes Below are the program outcomes expected after completion of the in-class training. Who knew math would be important for Roofing! Program Outcomes: 1. Apply safe work practices and procedures, to ensure the protection of self and others during roofing applications in accordance with company policies and manufacturer’s specifications. 2. Demonstrate hoisting and rigging practices, and site preparation procedures, select and use a variety of hand and power tools, fastening devices and other equipment for a variety of roofing applications. 3. Complete mathematical calculations required in the roofing industry and visualize in three dimensions from two-dimensional drawings, and understand imperial and metric scales, orthographic projection, isometric sketching, and the symbols, abbreviations and conventions used in building plans.

Bad Decisions As an adult, I realize how lucky I am that learning has always come easy for me. School was a breeze...at least the learning part. The real challenges began in high school where I found the social scene difficult to take. The different cliques, labeling someone popular or unpopular – often based on the financial status of their families – just didn’t seem right. Missing classes and then whole days of school became easier and easier. Do you know what I learned very quickly? No matter how smart you are, you have to attend classes and complete assignments to pass a course! As simple as that sounds, I was a know-it-all teenager and I refused to take advice from anyone. Like many kids in high school, I made some poor decisions that put graduating in jeopardy.

What is a Roofer? As I continued to work through the summer my employer made sure that I was learning and developing the skills set out by the trade’s Apprenticeship Training Standard. These skills are recognized by the industry as being essential to the practice of the trade. My boss then signed sections of the training standard to show that I was meeting the training objectives. I enrolled at a local college for the in-school portion and was able to fit this requirement in around my work schedule. Although I had been working with a roofing company for months, there were things I never would have learned without the classroom piece. One example is something as simple as the definition of a Roofer: A&nbsp;Roofer&nbsp;installs, repairs and replaces flat and sloped roofs involving a variety of materials with different application methods including shingles, slate, shakes, and roofing tiles on sloped roofs and membrane systems.

Specifically, a Roofer: -installs, repairs and replaces flat and sloped roof systems -works with membrane roofing systems -installs, replaces and repairs shingles, slate, shakes and roofing tiles on sloped roofs, green roofs and solar panels -waterproofs and damp-proofs roof systems

No Experience Necessary Once I was back home, there was no question that I had to get a job right away but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My resume included spending a Christmas season as a mall Santa Claus, some factory jobs, a retail job, and a position at a call centre. Following years working indoors, I thought maybe I could find some kind of work outdoors! It was early spring and the nice weather was just around the corner. I could already imagine the great tan I would have by the end of the summer, so I began my job search, hoping to find outdoor opportunities. One particular job posting that I came across was from a local roofing company looking for help. The posting said, “no experience necessary.” I had helped others work on roofs a handful of times, so I confidently replied to the ad. Within minutes of applying to the position, I received a phone call from the person who would become my new boss and I started work the next day.

Welcome Warm Weather Working outdoors through the winter was not quite as pleasant as working outdoors during the warmer months but I didn’t hate it. It was still far better than being stuck inside in a factory or at a desk but I was very happy to see the warm weather return and to get back up on a roof. By the end of March, we already had some roofing work scheduled. By mid-April we were full swing into the new roofing season. It was time for me to begin applying what I had observed and learned so far. It was time to tackle some of the more detailed work like how to install materials and shingles around vents and chimneys. After some less than successful attempts at some of this work I started to catch on and it only got better from there!&nbsp; Almost weekly there was a noticeable improvement in just about everything. The more I did something, the better I got at it.

5) Flashing - Roof flashing(s) refers to thin pieces of material used to prevent water infiltration at roof/wall intersections and around roof penetrations. 6) Nails - Most shingle manufacturers recommend a minimum of (4) nails per shingle, but to qualify for the maximum wind warranties, (6) nails per shingle are typically required. 7) Attic Ventilation (Exhaust) - The two most common types of exhaust ventilation used for a roof replacement project are ridge vent and can vents (also known as box vents or louver vents). 8) Hip and Ridge Shingles - Hip and ridge shingles (also called cap shingles) are used where two different roof slopes meet. 9) Caulk - Caulk is used to add the finishing touch on all roofing projects.

Best Decision I Ever Made It took a little over 2 years to complete the in-school requirement of the Roofing Apprenticeship. There were things I learned that I was able to pass on to my employer who has been in the industry his entire adult life. For the on-the-job practical training it took about 3 years to achieve the number of hours required. I am about to start my 5th year with the same company, and we are just over 1 month away from the weather needed to begin the season. I am counting the days! My boss set me up with a company van last year and at the beginning of the most recent winter season, he got me a John Deere tractor for plowing jobs. With the grades I was able to achieve in school (when I applied myself) there were conversations around different areas of work that might interest me, but I never had any desire to pursue them. My father had been a Professional Engineer so I know there were some hoping I might go that route but that was not for me. Roofing is for me. I never would have guessed it in a million years, but it is what I love to do. Best decision I ever made!

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This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.&nbsp;