Building program seeks apprentices to learn roofing

With the construction industry on the rise again in Florida, a local apprentice program that trains roofers is looking for new recruits.

The program, sponsored by Advanced Roofing in Fort Lauderdale and Associated Builders and Contractors in Coconut Creek, is the only state- and federally-registered roofing apprentice program in Florida.

“Through ABC’s new program, a worker can trim five to 10 years off the typical time frame to reach significantly higher levels of skill and earnings,” said Kevin Kornahrens, vice president of Fort Lauderdale-based Advanced Roofing, a commercial roofing and commercial solar contractor.

There is no cost to the apprentices for the ABC roofing apprenticeship program. Students must be at least 18 years old, be employed 40 hours a week and sponsored by a participating contractor. Applicants are asked to contact Associated Builders and Contractors at WeTrain.org or 954-580-2950 for information on the program and participating companies.

Roofing laborers in Florida typically start at about $12 an hour, with learning done on-the-job, according to program operators. Once graduated, those workers can earn $18 to $20 an hour.

Students graduate in three years at the level of “Roofing Mechanic 2.” Previously that level has taken three to five years to achieve.

There’s an immediate need for roofers, with South Florida’s construction industry rebounding. And with roofing foremen and mechanics in the region at an average age of 45 to 50, demand for roofers is expected to continue to grow.

Advanced Roofing, which employs 285 roofers, hired 50 last year and expects to hire 35 this year, Kornahrens said.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity projects more than 6,000 job openings for roofers in the state between 2014 and 2022, including an estimated 400 job openings in Broward County and 555 in Palm Beach County.

Students graduate in three years at the level of “Roofing Mechanic 2.”