The beauty of roofing apprenticeships

By Jenny Yu.  

A self-proclaimed “roof fanatic” shares a global vision for educating the roofers of tomorrow. 

At the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) Young Roofers Competition, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with the event’s host, Hans-Peter Springinsfeld, owner of Springinsfeld in Tyrol, Austria, about his journey into the roofing industry, why education is so important and what he hopes the international landscape of roofing will look like going forward.  

Hans-Peter shared how he initially started out in the industry. “I got stuck in my dad’s little company in 1984 in flat roofing and decided it was good to stay,” he said. Since then, he hasn’t left. After his father experienced an accident, Hans-Peter took over Springinsfeld at age 22, only three years after joining the company. Now, he has passed the trade down to his own kids, who have in turn founded their own roofing company. “We are roof fanatics,” he expressed. 

This enthusiasm trickles down to how Hans-Peter approaches education in the field through apprenticeship, a dual-education program for students. “Young people starting with 15 years in the craftsmanship work in the company, and they visit school for 10 weeks per year,” he explained. “We pay them during that time. We pay for their dormitory and food, and they learn about theory, how to do special details.” 

According to Hans-Peter, about 85% of companies are made up of only five or so people, making training a burdensome task and a hefty expense. “If you don’t have a school or an apprenticeship, there is a big loss every time someone leaves the company or retires,” he stated. “We need that knowledge, and we need to give it to the next generation.” 

This passing down of knowledge from generation to generation is Hans-Peter’s ultimate vision for the future of the industry. “When I die, if I take my knowledge with me, then my life will be completely worthless,” he shared. “I want to tell these young people what I experienced. They have to make mistakes, and we have to give them the chance to make mistakes, but at the end, they’ll start with a much better base than the generation before.” 

Watch the interview to learn more about Han's vision for young roofers.