Attracting Gen Z to the Roofing Industry by Offering More

By Yvette Cruz. 

Appealing to younger generations is one of the biggest challenges in today’s workforce and WTI is here to offer an apprenticeship which enables more opportunities for members.  

In Season 5, Episode 17 of Roofing Road Trips with Heidi J. Ellsworth, we welcome Caden Aquino of Weatherproofing Technologies Incorporated (WTI) to talk about his experience in the roofing industry as a Gen Z.  

Caden shares that he got his start in roofing by simply contacting Jospeh Lee who got him a job as a roof inspector. Caden had never been on a roof or had any knowledge of what was expected as an inspector. Caden states, “What I needed to do was obviously get in touch with the right people. And I kind of just worked with some good employees and got involved learning different roof systems, different techniques.”  

What draws the attention of someone younger like Caden to the roofing business? What makes him want to support the apprenticeship program and share it with as many people as possible? “It's a nice program because one good thing, it's free. You don't have to pay for it. The company takes care of everything. It's a good education and you can keep working towards your associate's, your bachelor's,” Caden says.  

With the rise of college tuition and the workforce demanding education and experience from those seeking a career in the industry, WTI offers all of it. “With this program, you get to go to college, you get to learn. And then you already have three or four years of experience.” 

But that’s not the only appeal for the younger generation who are more technologically inclined. It’s as simple as an email. Caden explains, “I got the email while I was on a job site and I emailed them right back. They do everything for you, so I'm not signing up for classes or doing any of that stuff like you would do in an actual college. You would just text or email back and say, ‘Hey, I want to do these many courses. What do I have to do?’ And they're like, ‘We got everything covered.’ And then you get it online and it's right there ready for you to start your courses.” 

Listen to the podcast or read the transcript to learn more about the flexibility and easy accessibility WTI offers to attract and maintain new employees. 

WTI is part of Tremco Construction Products Group.