By Jonny Suchor.
Transforming roofing industry labor challenges into opportunities.
At the 2024 International Roofing Expo (IRE) in Las Vegas, Heidi Ellsworth discussed labor shortages in the roofing industry with Chris Case from Hi-Peak Staffing Solutions on the Coffee Conversations Sound Stage sponsored by SRS Distribution. The conversation explored whether companies are looking in the right places to find labor.
Chris, who has over 15 years of experience in recruiting, emphasized the challenges the industry faces not just in roofing but across related sectors like manufacturing and distribution. “We’re really breaking more into manufacturing,” says Chris. “That’s really because the labor shortage isn’t just with roofing companies, it’s across the board. Manufacturing has had huge problems, and that’s why we are seeing a lot of technology, automation and robotics because there is just this drive to find good people and get them into the industry.”
The discussion also touched on the potential for growth and rewarding career paths in the roofing industry, a fact often overlooked. Chris stressed the need for more visibility and better representation to attract diverse talents, including women, into the roofing industry. This is crucial as companies are highly interested in diversifying their workforce and particularly eager to interview women candidates.
Looking ahead, Hi-Peak Staffing plans to increase its presence at future expos, such as in San Antonio at the 2025 IRE, to continue advocating for the industry and connect potential employees with employers. This will hopefully draw more attention to the career paths available and encourage a new wave of professionals to consider the roofing industry as a career choice.
“2025 plans are hopefully that High Peak Staffing has a booth here,” Chris shares. “We want to have a booth where we could talk about opportunity zones and taking people with maybe zero experience that companies are willing to talk to.”