Here’s Why I Decided to Join National Women in Roofing

By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group.

Roofing has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, but that is changing.

Women make up just over 10 percent of the workforce in the construction industry. One of the four pillars of National Women in Roofing (NWiR) is the recruitment of women into the industry. NWiR is dedicated to bringing women in the industry together and to encouraging even more women to consider roofing as a career option.

Having women in roofing brings many benefits to your organization, which I will explain. Women have a different point of view than you may be accustomed to, which can change your perspective and help you gain new insight on a variety of tasks. Women may deliver additional ideas or suggestions based on their life needs, and they have the ability to find solutions for efficiency, cost and a variety of other details. Creativity and functionality are added bonuses when working with women in the roofing industry.

Networking is a vital part of a business, and National Women in Roofing network in fun and exciting ways. They host unique networking functions, and you may find them making candles, enjoying book clubs, shooting sporting clays, watching a live new roofing demo, or exploring new restaurants, to name a few. This type of networking creates a unique experience and encourages the development of meaningful business relationships.

Joining NWIR can connect you with a whole world of new contacts. This can expand your audience and connect your business with an abundance of new opportunities. As they say, “It is all about who you know!” Traditionally men and women network differently; women tend to focus on long-term connections, which lead to a deeper network that is based on trust. This way of thinking builds a life-long network of business connections.

Do you need to diversify? Building a strong sense of inclusivity, diversity and equity is the key to attracting top talent. Identifying underrepresented groups, such as women in the industry, can help you foster a culture of inclusion, which will strengthen our workforce industry-wide.

Be inspired! Inspiration can come from many different sources, but for me, inspiration is coming from this incredible group of men and women at NWiR. Witnessing the members encourage, support and push each other to do great things will get you inspired!

Learn more about John Kenney and Cotney Consulting Group in their RCS Directory.

John Kenney has over 45 years' experience in the roofing industry. John started his career by working as a roofing apprentice at a family business in the Northeast. He has been in charge of operating multiple Top 100 Roofing Contractors. As Chief Operating Officer, John is intimately familiar with all aspects of roofing production, estimating and operations. During his tenure in the industry, John ran business units associated with delivering great workmanship and unparalleled customer service while ensuring strong net profits for his company before joining Cotney Consulting Group. If you would like any further information on this or another subject, you can contact John at jkenney@cotneyconsulting.com