The next generation takes centre stage!

By Emma Peterson.  

IFD’s World Championship of Young Roofer brings together talented professionals from around the world to showcase their skills.

Since 1988, Internation Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) has invited young professionals from around the globe to compete in a roofing competition designed to test their skills on an international scale. Hosted roughly every two years in a different location, this competition tests their trade skills and knowledge in four different disciplines: Roofing, waterproofing, metal/industrial roofing and facade.  

The goal of this competition? As stated on IFD’s website:  

To promote the common international idea in youth and in the profession. To harmonise vocational training in the countries of the world. To show the achievements of the roofing trade in the participating countries. To make the public aware of the importance of the training performance of the roofing trade. To highlight the advantages of in-company training and to strengthen the respect for the professional work in the roofing trade. To promote the roofing trade. 

So, how do young roofers get involved in this event? Every country can send one team to the competition for each discipline. These teams are made up of two young roofers (under 28 years old during competition year) who have either won a national championship in their country or (if such a championship does not exist) are chosen based on skill by a national professional organisation of the roofing trade. The participants are only allowed to participate once in each category. 

Once chosen for the team, the young professionals will train and prepare for the competition under the guidance and supervision of an industry mentor. Not only can these mentors participate in multiple different competition years, but they are also encouraged to!  

All of this work culminates at the competition itself, where a jury of eight people elected by the IFD General Assembly assess the young roofers’ performance. No two jury members will be from the same country, and they may not be mentors. This jury will evaluate the different team performances based on seven criteria:  

1. Accuracy of execution  
2. Performance  
3. Cleanliness  
4. Utilisation of materials  
5. Craftsmanship  
6. Implementation of the required task  
7. Serviceability 

Based on these criteria, the panel awards gold, silver and bronze medals for the first, second and third winners in each discipline. There is also a fifth president’s prize competition where the board awards medals based on a free competition where participants show off their specialties. In addition to medals, winners receive a commemorative gift from the host country and a certificate of participation from IFD. For the world champion in each discipline there is an additional reward of an IFD challenge cup.  

The last World Championship of Young Roofer was held at Innsbruck in Austria in 2024. The next championship is planned for 2027 in Budapest, Hungary. Make sure to follow IFD to stay up to date on competition news!