Building careers: Exploring the WTI Apprenticeship Program

By Anna Lockhart.  

Tune in as two roofing professionals share their experiences participating in the WTI Apprenticeship Program.  

In a recent episode of the Roofing Road Trips® podcast, host Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with WTI’s Walter Marshall and Ian Cranmer to discuss their involvement and experience with the WTI Apprenticeship Program. The three discussed the unique opportunities the program offers participants and how it can help boost young roofing professionals and their careers!  

The WTI Apprenticeship Program is a one-of-a-kind experience for roofing professionals looking to expand their knowledge and understanding of the industry as well as boost their skills in common roofing standards and practices using Tremco materials. Ian shared, “The program is a combination of online courses, in-person classes and most of it is on-the-job training. And I believe they all mesh so well together because when I'm out in the field, I'm able to get hands-on experience with a little bit of everything, so being able to tie into the classwork on the computer and see it firsthand just really helps tie it all together.” 

For Walter, the program has been a great way to refresh his roofing skills and learn new applications and installation methods for different roofing materials using Tremco products. He shared, “Because Tremco makes a lot of different products and every single product has a different process, a different application, a different primer, different materials to use there's a lot to learn. And the most efficient way I have found to learn is hands-on. So, the hybrid of online and hands-on has been beneficial.” 

The program is broken down into three main phases, in which the participants focus on different learning methods and skills within each phase before graduating to the next. For Walter and Ian, this program has offered them both a wealth of knowledge and confidence in their skills as roofing professionals, preparing them for the careers they hope to pursue one day! 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about the WTI Apprenticeship Program.