Inside a GAF training session with the NWIR Seattle Council

By Dani Sheehan. 

GAF recently hosted a hands-on training event offering attendees the opportunity to work with single-ply products and innovative equipment. 

The Coffee Shops™ crew members Brenda Littau and Caitlin Ieng recently joined the National Women in Roofing (NWIR) Seattle Council at the GAF Roofing Academy in Lakewood, Washington, for an afternoon of getting their hands on the tools and real-world scenarios that define single-ply construction.  

GAF hosted 13 NWIR members for a deep dive into single-ply fundamentals, led by Pacific Northwest instructor Chad Osterholtz. Not only did Chad talk through TPO welding, but he also opened up the equipment, passed around samples and explained exactly what makes a weld strong or weak: consistent heat, consistent pressure and consistent speed. Miss one of these and you’re holding a bad weld in your hands. Seeing and feeling the difference made it click for everyone in the room. 

Chad also shared how the GAF Roofing Academy is helping more people enter the industry with confidence. Their two-week class often includes students transitioning out of the military or correctional programs looking to enter the trade. GAF pays them during training, equips them with basic tools and connects them with contractors through a nationwide team of recruiters. In turn, contractors get graduates who show up at 7 a.m., work hard all day and understand the basics before they ever step onto a jobsite. There’s even a three-day course built specifically to help office staff understand what happens on the roof, which is solving a major disconnect that many companies feel. 

After lunch, Jerry Herbek from Steve Garlock Equipment took the floor for a session rich in practical “wish someone had told me sooner” knowledge. Using Leister tools, he walked the group through common mistakes that lead to callbacks. Things like running too many tools off the same generator, shutting down welders before they cool properly or mismanaging power surges. These issues can crack ceramic elements, cause inconsistent welds and ultimately lead to leaks. According to Jerry, many of these problems happen simply because the right information doesn’t reach the crews on the roof. 

Brenda, Caitlin and the other council members learned that Steve Garlock Equipment sells their used rental tools once a year, giving crews the chance to pick up well-maintained welders without gambling on online marketplaces. Jerry and his colleague, Katie Johnson, also shared a preview of their growing safety equipment line, something many contractors don’t realize the company offers. 

Between GAF’s technical instruction, Steve Garlock’s equipment knowledge and Leister’s dependable tools, NWIR members walked away with practical takeaways they can bring back to their teams. For Brenda and Caitlin, it was exciting to see these manufacturers investing so intentionally in the next generation of roofing talent. 

If events like this are any indication of what’s to come, the future of single-ply looks more skilled, more supported and more connected than ever.