By Jenny Yu.  

The competition provides young people with an opportunity to develop essential skills and invaluable experiences. 

At the Oregon SkillsUSA 2026 competition, Lauren White of The Coffee Shops™ spoke with the winner and sole participant, Eric Schilling, and his father, Mike Schilling, president of Carlson Roofing Company in Oregon.  

Eric, a high school junior, shared how he became interested in the trades. “A whole bunch of my buddies are into welding, and I'm a car guy on the side,” he shared. “I like dirt bikes, I like everything mechanical, so I figured it'd be a pretty handy skill to pick up.” When his welding instructor saw his Carlson Roofing Company hat, he encouraged Eric to sign up for the SkillsUSA competition.  

After practicing for about a month and completing three practice projects, Eric was ready to take his skills to the competition. “I thought it was going to be a lot harder to do everything that I did today,” Eric said. With only four hours to complete the job, Eric showed off his masterpiece. “[I had] a couple freak outs in between, but it turned out good.” 

Mike, a fourth-generation roofer himself, expressed how SkillsUSA is changing the landscape for the younger generation’s entry into the trades. “I think this is so great. There was nothing like this when I was growing up,” Mike said. “Labor is the biggest challenge in the industry right now, so the fact that someone can get some hands-on experience and make themselves more valuable to start with — that's incredible.” 

As a business owner, Mike emphasized how early experiences like SkillsUSA competitions are key for establishing a strong workforce. “These young people haven't picked up bad habits yet. They're totally trainable,” Mike said. “As a business owner, I couldn't ask for more than that." 

Watch the full interview to learn more about Eric, Mike and SkillsUSA!

By Emma Peterson. 

How competition and mentorship help students find careers in roofing. 

As the 2026 SkillsUSA National Championship get closer (it’ll be hosted June 1-5, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia), we wanted to take a moment to highlight the way this organization supports students and celebrates the trades. To do so, we hosted the student champions of the 2025 SkillsUSA roofing competition, Chase Huang and Damien Holloway, as well as their mentor Tim Stephens (also the VP of Architectural Sheet Metal Inc.) for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

Tim opened the conversation talking about how he got involved in SkillsUSA:  

I learned about SkillsUSA from Rick Damato. Rick was one of the people who really pushed for National Roofing Contractors Association to adopt it and when that did happen, my team reached out to get involved... The reason why we wanted to be involved is because workforce matters. It's everybody's number one issue and has been for centuries. And the main issue with expanding the workforce is that students don’t know the trade are there; this program addresses that by introducing trades to students in school.  

Two such students that SkillsUSA connected to the trades were Damien and Chase. Reflecting on his experience, Damien shared, “Before the competition, I didn’t really see roofing as a job opportunity. Now I know that it’s something that I enjoy and can do. I’m planning on studying welding in a college program, but it’s really great knowing I have a job with Tim once I get out of school.” 

Chase had a similar experience and shared, “Winning a silver medal significantly boosts my confidence in roofing. It serves as proof of my ability, confirms my proficiency and shows that I can be in construction. And now I know what I can do in my future career.” In fact, that career is already in motion for Chase, who is working at Architectural Sheet Metal Inc. with Tim!  

At the end of the day, SkillsUSA is far more than a competition – it's an introduction to and celebration of trades like roofing. As Tim put it, “We need people in roofing and there are so many students out there who are looking for opportunities. And if you give them a chance and provide a bit of mentorship, they’ll blow you away... Really the power of SkillsUSA is in getting the trades’ story, like roofing, out there and connecting young adults to great career paths.”  

Tune into the whole podcast to hear more from Tim, Damien and Chase!

By Jenny Yu.  

Contractors will gain practical insights from leading experts while connecting with top manufacturers and suppliers. 

The Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA) is hosting its 104th Convention & Expo from June 10-12, 2026, at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in in Kissimmee, Florida. With a strong lineup of sponsors and an educational program packed with timely topics, this year’s event is set to provide contractors with practical insights and valuable networking opportunities. 

A wide range of industry leaders are lending their support for the event, underscoring its importance across the roofing and metal construction sectors. Platinum sponsors include Eagle Roofing Products, ABC Supply and TAMKO®; while gold sponsors CertainTeed LLC, Polyglass and SOPREMA further highlight the depth of industry participation. Additional support from emerald sponsor Adams & Reese LLP; sapphire sponsors BITEC, Drexel Metals, MetalForming LLC and Sika Corporation; silver sponsor SRS Building Products; bronze sponsors Duro-Last®, IB Roof Systems™, PAC-CLAD Petersen and Roof Hugger; and affiliate sponsor, Roofing Contractors Association of South Florida (RCASF), reinforce the event’s focus on innovation, performance and contractor success. 

Educational sessions 

Education remains the cornerstone of the convention, with sessions designed to address today’s most pressing challenges in the industry while providing attendees with opportunities to earn CE credits. Legal and compliance topics are a hot topic with multiple sessions led by Trent Cotney, RoofersCoffeeShop® Influencer and partner at Adams & Reese LLP, including: 

• “Building an OSHA Inspection SOP” - Wednesday, June 10, 8:00 a.m. 
• “Roofing Legal, Labor and Policy Trends” - Wednesday, June 10, 12:30 p.m. and Friday, June 12, 7:00 a.m. 
• “Artificial Intelligence in Roofing” - Thursday, June 11, 7:00 a.m. 
• “ICE Raids and I-9 Audit Defense” - Thursday, June 11, 8:15 a.m. and Friday, June 12, 8:15 a.m. 

These sessions will provide contractors with actionable guidance on navigating regulations, mitigating risk and adapting to emerging technologies.  

Business operations are also a key focus. John Kenney, Influencer of The Coffee Shops™ and CEO of Cotney Consulting Group, will lead “Estimating for Small Business” on Wednesday, June 10, at 9:15 a.m. and Thursday, June 11, at 7:00 a.m., offering practical strategies to improve accuracy and profitability for contractors of all sizes. Meanwhile, Chad Westbrook, founder of Service Alignment, will present “Documenting a Roofing Project” on Thursday, June 11, at 9:30 a.m. and Friday, June 12, at 7:00 a.m., helping attendees strengthen processes that support accountability, communication and long-term project success. 

Additional sessions cover critical issues including Florida Building Code updates, metal roofing best practices and safety topics such as heat illness prevention. The “SkillsUSA: Build a Workforce Pipeline” session on Thursday, June 11, at 9:30 a.m., will also highlight strategies for developing the next generation of roofers, a growing priority for contractors facing ongoing workforce shortages. Together, these seminars provide well-rounded education opportunities tailored to both roofing and sheet metal professionals.  

Register to reserve your spot and take full advantage of everything the 104th FRSA Convention & Expo has to offer!

By Jenny Yu.  

Participants say SkillsUSA helps them explore careers and grow beyond the classroom. 

At the Oregon SkillsUSA 2026 Competition, students from all over the state showcased their technical abilities, creativity and career readiness across a wide range of disciplines. From culinary arts to healthcare and engineering, competitors demonstrated not only their skills but also their willingness to step outside of their comfort zones and explore future career paths. 

For Kallie Stephenson, this year’s cake decorating competition was a way to refine her culinary skills after competing in last year’s cooking competition. This year’s theme was “farm animals,” and Kallie made a baby chick cake with a marshmallow beak. Despite some last minute-adjustments, Kallie embraced the challenge and encouraged others to do the same. “Just try something new. I mean, I don't really decorate cakes in my culinary class,” Kallie said. “There's something for everybody, and it's really fun.” 

Healthcare competitor Ryese Fernandes highlighted the rigor of the event, which included CPR, checking vital signs, dietetics and a final presentation. This competition marked Ryese’s third year participating in the SkillsUSA competition, and last year she competed in the national competition for basic healthcare. “SkillsUSA definitely helped me break out of my shell. I used to be very shy and reserved, and I’ve grown a lot,” Ryese expressed. “I’m confident in what I did, and I did everything to the best of my abilities.” 

Pryce Henry shared what it was like competing in multiple competitions, including technical math and mobile robotics, and how this will have a long-term impact on their future. “Technical math and robotics together definitely built my skills a lot more than I probably would have if I didn’t do SkillsUSA in high school,” Pryce explained. “We’re growing our personal skills as well as our technical skills. We’re building up to our futures.” 

Finally, photography competitor Aiyana Little Eagle reflected on what the program has meant overall. “SkillsUSA was an opening factor, introducing me to all these CTE programs,” Aiyana shared. “It’s a really cool event where people can meet people, learn new things and learn new things about yourself. SkillsUSA helped me discover a whole new world.” 

Watch all of these interviews to learn more about how SkillsUSA is preparing the workforce of the future.

By Emma Peterson. 

Three students from Oregon share their SkillsUSA experiences and stories. 

This year, Lauren White, editor of The Coffee Shops™, had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Oregon SkillsUSA state competition. SkillsUSA competitions are fundamental and valuable opportunities for supporting the next generation of tradespeople as they grow their skillsets and understandings of their chosen trades.  Seeing leading professional organizations, like the National Roofing Contractors Association, getting involved is also exciting, as having such support from industry leaders for these future tradespeople gives many confidence in what’s to come.  

This year, Oregon’s state competition was held over the course of two days in April (4/10/26 and 4/11/26) at the Knife River Training Facility in Albany. While there, Lauren talked to three of the students competing: Akshara Dashputre, Theron Tyler and Gayathri Devarapu. Both Akshara and Gayathri are sophomores at the Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering. As for Theron, he's a senior at Henley High School and is heading to the Oregon Institute of Technology with plans to study mechanical engineering this fall.  

At this year’s competition, Gayathri competed in three events: related technical math, cake decorating and prepared speech. She shared her thoughts about the experience, saying, “Technical math was probably my best event this year because I got to take the test online at school two or three weeks ago. For the other two, they were both at 9 a.m. this morning. So, I had to rush around a bit, but it was really fun.”  

As for Akshara, she competed in computer programming and prepared speech. The former is tied directly to what she is interested in pursuing in the future. She explained, “I wanted to do something involving computer science or cybersecurity related. And so, in this competition, we were given a project that we had to develop and I was able to kind of test my skills that I've already developed over a period of time.” As for the prepared speech competition, Akshara was just excited to talk about her passions. She shared, “The national theme for this year is Champion Your Future. And we had to create a five to seven-minute speech on what that theme means to us and how SkillsUSA ties into it. And that was an exciting event because I got to talk about how passionate I am about SkillsUSA. And writing that speech wasn't just for a competitive event. It was also for me to kind of reflect on my journey so far and what this event really helped me to do.” 

And last but not least, Theron competed in technical drafting and engineering technology design at this year’s competition. Both of these events are quite in depth, as Theron explained:   

For technical drafting, we were given a packet with multiple parts that we had to design, and then we had to follow all the industry professional technical standards and redesigned those parts in a CAD software, computer-aided design. Then we took our CAD model, and then we created a technical drawing that follows all the engineering standards. As for the engineering technology design, we’ve been working on a project for that since December and were even working on it in the hotel on this trip. 

Overall, all three of these students showed off incredible work and dedication at the competition. And while they were competing in mostly different events, they have one thing in common – they are all part of the SkillsUSA Oregon state officer team. Theron is the president for secondary education, Akshara is VP of social media and Gayathri is the reporter. Reflecting on their positions, the sentiment was all excitement and thankfulness. As Gayathri explained, “On our team of 12, we all do a mix of everything. For example, I helped with our community service project with Make-A-Wish and the other day I helped Akshara over here with some Instagram posts. It’s a lot of great experiences and I’m really glad to be a part of it.”  

Want to hear more from these amazing students? Check out Lauren’s full interview with them on the RoofersCoffeeShop YouTube channel!

By Emma Peterson. 

How SkillsUSA is preparing the next generation of roofing and construction professionals through competitions and conferences. 

The phrase “labor shortage” is far from unfamiliar for anyone who has been around the roofing sector or the larger construction trade. In fact, reports indicate that 36% of roofing contractors were concerned about a lack of qualified workers heading into 2026 and that by 2032, there will be “about 22 times more new hires needed in the trades to keep up with demand.” As for the larger construction trade according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the industry is short of somewhere around 500,000 skilled workers.  

How do we overcome these staggering numbers and build up our workforce effectively? One way is by supporting SkillsUSA! SkillsUSA is a workforce development organization that represents more than 440,000 career and technical education students and teachers. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), “[The] trades have relied on SkillsUSA as a pipeline system for new workers since the 1960s. If the roofing industry recruited even 5% of these students, it would have more than 5,000 new roofing workers annually.” 

How do they act as a pipeline for so many workers? SkillsUSA is embedded in CTE classrooms with programming designed to build students' personal, workplace and technical skills, enabling them to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members.  

They also host a variety of events that support the development of the next generation of tradespeople. Probably most well-known is their regional, state and national competitions, where students train with mentors and then showcase their skills. The SkillsUSA Championships occur during SkillsUSA’s annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Atlanta, Georgia. NLSC is all about developing workplace skills, earning industry credentials and building professional networks. And this year, SkillsUSA is putting the spotlight on construction-related trades with a first-of-its-kind Immersive Experience: Construction at NLSC 2026 supported by Lowe’s Foundation and Bosch Community Fund.  

This immersive experience spans three days and connects 100 students with hands-on workforce development “that allows students to experience the job before they get the job through authentic, industry-led learning.” The schedule opens on June 2 with construction scenario challenges and carpentry training. On day two (June 3), students will get to walk through and tour a variety of professional spaces, including an active job site, and attend an employer insights panel. The last day (June 4), dives into NC3 Credentialing, hand tool practice and 3M PPE training.  

As roofing and construction continue to face workforce gaps, SkillsUSA is helping nurture job-ready professionals through hands-on training, competition and leadership development. Supporting programs like SkillsUSA, and the new immersive construction experience at NLSC 2026, is a practical way for the industry to strengthen its talent pipeline and build the workforce of tomorrow. 

Learn more about SkillsUSA, the new Immersive Experience: Construction and how you can support the next generation of professionals!

By Emma Peterson. 

Exploring how IFD supports professionals worldwide with their different membership opportunities. 

The International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) was designed to unite professionals from across the roofing industry to work together to “safeguard and support the common economic, business, technical, social, cultural and other professional interests of the members at an international level.” They do this by organising a variety of workshops, congresses, trainings and other events for their members.  

Interested in getting involved in IFD and growing your professional career through their programming? IFD has a variety of forms of membership that meet professionals and organisations where they are. These include:  

• Full members: This membership level is designed for "professional organisations of the roofing trade which are constituted in their countries in accordance with the laws existing there in each case.” In other words, it is meant for organisation like China’s National Building Waterproof Association and the United Kingdom’s National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC). 
• Guest members: This membership tier gives national professional organisation of the roofing trades membership in the IFD at a reduced fee for two years. By their third year, they will be asked whether they want to continue their membership as a full member or not.  
• Cooperation partners: National and region professional organisations at this level are neither full members nor guests. They pay a contribution that is individually determined between IFD and them. An example of a cooperation partner is the United States’ National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA).  
• Partner members: These members are manufacturers and companies in the roofing field as well as national and international associations of manufacturers and industry. Essentially, if you offer products and/or services for roofing companies, this is the membership type for you. 
• Scientific members: The scientific membership was made for “universities, departments, institutions, chairs and research centres, as well as individuals who have a serious interest in scientific research in the disciplines related to roof structures and related technologies.” 

Learn more about IFD and their different membership opportunities.

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how intentional training and care builds teams that grow and succeed in the long-term.  

As labor shortages continue and workforce expectations shift, companies can no longer afford to treat onboarding as a minor checklist or training as a one-time event. Instead, they must find ways to consistently care for the crew members and help their teams grow. To discuss this topic, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down for an episode of Coffee Conversations® with Amy Staska, Maureen Greeves and Mandy McIntyre.  

These women were the perfect panel to talk to about investing in your team. Amy is the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)’s VP of workforce development; Maureen is Tremco Roofing’s director of field operations; and Mandy is WTI's CM development manager. Out of the gate, one of the most important things they highlighted was that labor retention is not a one-size-fits-all situation. 

Amy explained, “Finding ways to retain talent is not going to be a one-size-fits-all conversation. Take training, for example. People like learning new skills that can help advance their careers. But the format of that training needs to be comfortable for each individual.” For example, some people love the convenience of online training, where others find it disconnected and hard to work with. If you truly want to retain talent, you need to invest in your people as individuals.  

And retaining talent really should be your goal. Not only does it make your team stronger culturally, but it is also important for your long-term finances. Maureen explained, “The recruiting process and the onboarding process can cost companies anywhere between $5,000 to $6,000 on the low end and up to upwards of $10,000 to $12,000 on a high end.  For one person. So, retaining talent long term isn’t just about keeping talent and expertise, though that is key, it’s also about avoiding turnover and the high expenses that come with that.”  

So, how do you start bringing this intentionality into your operations? It doesn’t have to be that complicated. Mandy gave some examples of how you can meet your team where they are, sharing, “Start with just basic conversations. Ask people how's it going, how the first week was, the second week, etc. Because if you're not having those conversations and they end up leaving, you’ll never know why or if you could have changed something simple and retained their talent.” 

Learn more about intentional, individualized retention strategies by listening to the whole episode.

A coalition of industry trade associations representing contractors, consultants and manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada has completed its Quarterly Market Index Survey for Reroofing for the third quarter of 2025.

The survey is an industrywide effort spearheaded by a coalition of trade assocations, including the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, Canadian Roofing Contractors Association, Chemical Fabrics & Film Association Inc., EPDM Roofing Association, International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants, Metal Construction Association, Metal Roofing Alliance, National Roofing Contractors Association, National Women in Roofing, Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association, Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association and Single Ply Roofing Industry.

Seventy percent of survey responses came from roofing contractors, and 30% of responses came from roof consultants. Forty-eight percent of respondents indicated they primarily work on low-slope roof systems; 39% indicated they primarily work on a blend of low-slope and steep-slope roof systems; and 13% indicated they primarily work on steep-slope roof systems.

Participants who identify as roofing contractors were asked to report the number of squares of reroofing material installed by their companies during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same quarter in 2025. Thirty-two percent of respondents reported the volume of reroofing materials installed increased, 32% reported no change and 36% reported a decrease in materials installed year-over-year.

Thirty-six percent of all survey respondents indicated their customer inquiries increased. Forty-three percent of respondents reported no change in activity, and 21% indicated a decrease. Project contracts increased for 33% of respondents, 40% reported no change in activity and 27% indicated a decrease in project contracts.

Additionally, two indices offer insight regarding customer inquiries and project contracts across market segments. The indices are based on a 0 to 100 scale. A score of 50 or higher suggests expansion or optimism; a score below 50 indicates contraction or pessimism.

• The customer inquiries index score for the total industry increased to 57.1 compared with 39.0 for the fourth quarter of 2025. The score for the steep-slope reroofing market is 50, the score for the low-slope reroofing market is 59.1, and the score for the blended low- and steep-slope reroofing market is 57.1.
• The project contracts index score for the total industry increased to 52.9 compared with 45.2 for the fourth quarter of 2025. The score for the steep-slope reroofing market is 50.0, the score for the low-slope reroofing market is 56.1, and the score for the blended low- and steep-slope reroofing market is 50.0.

As of April 2026, 26% of respondents reported no project backlogs, 40% indicated project backlogs of one to two months and 21% indicated backlogs of three to four months. Thirteen percent of respondents reported project backlogs of five or more months.

The complete results of the Quarterly Market Index Survey for Reroofing are available to those who participate in the survey via an online dashboard that enables users to filter results by region and other metrics. Any contractor or consultant who wants to participate in the next quarter’s survey can sign up for a notification at http://bit.ly/37ank7D.

About NRCA

Since 1886, the National Roofing Contractors Association has been the home for generations of entrepreneurial craftsmen and enterprises who shelter and protect America’s families and businesses and each other. Our vision is the recognition of our members as professionals and to unite the industry to that purpose. NRCA is one of the construction industry’s most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy. It represents all segments of the roofing industry, including contractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state and government agencies. For information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit nrca.net.

By Dani Sheehan. 

SkillsUSA National Signing Day is a chance to celebrate the trades, encourage young talent and highlight roofing and construction careers for the next generation. 

From estimating and project management to installation, service and sheet metal fabrication, every successful business depends on individuals who are trained, motivated and ready to grow. As contractors across the country continue to face labor shortages and an aging workforce, investing in the next generation is essential. Programs like SkillsUSA help create a pipeline by connecting students to hands-on training, leadership development and real career opportunities in the skilled trades. 

Events like SkillsUSA National Signing Day help bring that mission to life by publicly recognizing students who are committing to the next step in their careers. Set for May 6, 2026, the nationwide celebration honors students accepting a job offer, beginning an apprenticeship, starting an internship or continuing into technical and career education training.  

Celebrating the trades in a big way 

For years, students heading to four-year universities have enjoyed public recognition through athletic signings and college commitment ceremonies. SkillsUSA National Signing Day brings that same level of excitement and visibility to students choosing skilled career pathways. 

Events like National Signing Day help elevate awareness of career opportunities in construction and roofing while connecting employers with motivated young talent. As a contractor, participating in this event can benefit you in several ways: 

• Build relationships with local schools and SkillsUSA chapters 
• Meet students interested in hands-on careers 
• Promote apprenticeship and training opportunities 
• Strengthen their company’s reputation in the community 
• Help inspire the next generation of roofing professionals 

You can help sponsor or attend a local event to support students in your area while increasing visibility for the roofing trade. SkillsUSA chapters host their own local events, but resources are available to make planning simple, including chapter guides, invitations, press release templates, social media content and event-day materials. Ceremonies can happen in classrooms, school shops, community spaces or even at local businesses. 

The roofing industry needs skilled people who are ready to build, solve problems and take pride in their craft. SkillsUSA National Signing Day shines a light on those students to help ensure the next generation sees roofing and construction as careers full of opportunity. 

Registration ends May 1, 2026. SkillsUSA chapters interested in hosting their own Signing Day event should register now!