The roofing industry is still feeling the pressure of labor shortages, and at the same time, compliance requirements keep getting more complex. Safety, training, documentation, workforce verification—it’s a lot. But these aren’t necessarily separate problems. They’re connected and, if approached the right way, they can strengthen the industry instead of holding it back.
For a long time, roofing has relied on strong on-the-job training and mentorship. That built incredible craftsmen. But today’s workforce is different. People want structure. They want to know what their future looks like. They want credentials that mean something and skills that are recognized beyond one jobsite. Contractors want the same thing: consistency, accountability and a workforce that naturally aligns with compliance expectations.
This is where a program like the National Roofing Apprenticeship Program can come into play. What Steve Little from KPost alongside other industry leaders focuses on with NRAP isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s about connecting what already works across the industry and creating a clearer, more unified path forward for training, development and long-term workforce stability.
The pipeline starts with SkillsUSA, introducing students to roofing and construction at the high school level. NRAP becomes the middle bridge, turning interest into a real career through a structured, DOL and state-recognized apprenticeship. From there, workers continue growing through ABC programs, NRCA TRAC and NRCA’s PROCertification, and even into vocational programs and higher education. That’s a real career ladder and the industry needs that story shared.
What makes a program like NRAP powerful is that it brings together proven systems:
- NCCER curriculum, updated, bilingual, and nationally recognized
- ABC’s training network, with facilities and instructors already in place
- NRCA’s education platforms, which set the standard for roofing training
- SkillsUSA, creating early engagement and pride in the trades
- Clemson’s collaboration framework, adding academic support and research
From a labor standpoint, this changes everything. People stay when they see opportunity. When roofing looks like a profession with progression, not just a job, retention improves and recruiting becomes easier.
From a compliance standpoint, it simplifies life. Training, safety, credentials and documentation become part of everyday operations instead of something to prove after the fact.
Even the governance reflects this mindset, with leadership from the ABC, Roofing Alliance, NRCA, CTE partners, CEF, SkillsUSA and NCCER. That tells you this is industry-driven, not theoretical.
This is how to protect the future of roofing. By investing in people, connecting what already works and showing the next generation that roofing is a skilled, respected and sustainable career.
SEE ALSO: CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY MUST ATTRACT 349,000 WORKERS IN 2026
The post Navigating Compliance Pressures Amidst a Construction Labor Shortage first appeared on Construction Executive.
