Inside the education program elevating roofing crews

By Dani Sheehan. 

Real demos. Real feedback. Real results. This education-first approach to roofing could be the answer to workforce shortages and performance gaps. 

The right training can make or break your crew’s performance. That’s why Polyglass has built Polyschool, a dedicated, hands-on education hub that teaches more than just product knowledge. In a special live edition of CoatingsTalk™ from the Polyschool facility in Winter Haven, Florida, a panel of Polyglass experts and educators shared how immersive learning is shaping the future of roofing. 

“The objective of Polyschool is to share best practices and really train on the Polyglass products, but also share best practices on installation, thoughts, ideas, new innovative products,” shared Marie Ferrer, national technical training manager at Polyglass. Their overall goal is to educate anyone who comes across their products and do it in a meaningful way. 

At the heart of Polyschool is a hands-on, interactive philosophy Ferrer calls “tell-show-do-apply.” Rather than sit through hours of lectures or slide decks, attendees are up on the roof, applying materials and receiving real-time feedback.  

Allie Spangler, district sales manager for Southwest Florida, emphasized that Polyschool has become a natural extension of the sales process. “In many cases, there’s only one of us out on the road. So having the ability to bring customers here, give them access to the full product lineup, let them touch and install the products – it's invaluable,” she shared. 

“We’re constantly rolling out new products. If you don’t know how to install them correctly, they won’t perform the way they should. Training is critical, not optional,” Kelsey Archer, Polyglass sales representative echoed. 

Polyschool is also playing a key role in workforce development, adding opportunities amidst the well-known labor shortage. “Cross-training is essential,” Marie explained. “We don’t just teach roofing; we cover waterproofing, wall systems, the entire building envelope. That kind of well-rounded knowledge makes a crew more adaptable, more valuable.” Allie also sees it as an opportunity to retain your crew, saying, “As humans, we want to learn and be challenged. Polyschool provides that environment. When every day brings something new, it helps keep people engaged and invested in their work.” 

Curious to see it in action? The live webinar also featured hands-on demos by Henry Rives and Gianluca Venturin, giving attendees a firsthand look at proper application techniques. 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the webinar to catch the demos and dive deeper into how education is an invaluable tool to strengthen your company.