Marketing and Recruiting for the Next Generation

By Heidi J. Ellsworth, HJE Consulting. 

If you’re interested in long-term business success, learning about the up and coming generation is of vital importance.  

Marketing today is not just about customers. Branding, a large part of marketing, is important for employees, families of employees, investors or potential investors and overall industry and community image. One of the hot topics today is understanding the next generation of employees and customers and what will attract them to your company and brand. 

Understanding the next generation is a challenge to many. But, learning about this upcoming group of young people is important, since they are the employees and customers of today and tomorrow. Millennial homeowners, facility managers and building owners are already in place with the first of the Gen Z generation graduating from college in 2019. And when you look at the workforce of tomorrow, it is critical to make the connection with this next generation of employees who will be essential in your companies’ ability to produce the amount of work needed.   

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of US Census Bureau data, more than one-in-three of the American labor force (35%) are Millennials, making them the largest generation in the U.S. labor force. As of second quarter of 2019, 36.4% of homeowners were 35 years and younger, according to the US Census Bureau, which is eight to nine percentage points lower than previous generations’ homeownership rates at ages 25 to 34. Even with the decrease of ownership compared to past generations, Millennials are still a third of homeowners and will be looking for services to maintain and repair the exterior of their homes and businesses. 

One way to really start interacting with the next generation is to get involved in programs that are already working with students of all ages. Through the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Roofing Alliance and regional and local roofing associations, roofing professionals can get involved today with future roofing professionals.   

One of the longest running programs is the Roofing Alliance Student Competition being held every year during the NRCA Annual Convention during the International Roofing Expo (IRE). Roofing Alliance members have been working with University Construction Management programs to provide a student competition for six years. 

The relationship between the Roofing Alliance and construction management schools began in 2013 when the Alliance partnered with McWhorter School of Building Science at Auburn University, the Department of Construction Management at Colorado State University and M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction at the University of Florida. Understanding the long-term goal to expose construction management students and faculty to the roofing industry, Alliance members worked to enhance the overall roofing knowledge of faculty and students in hopes of encouraging students to consider the roofing industry as a viable career option. 

Relating the student competition to the studies of Gen Z, it becomes clear that this type of competition that relies heavily on mentoring and education is exactly what the next generation is looking for when exploring potential careers. According to Nick Rubino, faculty coach for the Colorado State team, “We have been involved with the Roofing Alliance Student Competition from the beginning and it is a very popular construction management competition amongst our students. Every year, the students come back from the competition very happy they did it. They love the focus of the competition in roofing and the fact that they get to attend the convention and see what the industry is like up close. The opportunity to interact with senior management level people in the industry is a great benefit.” 

“After the competition they really understand the industry and are able to look at the skills of roofing and what it takes to execute a high performing roof,” continued Rubino. It helps them look at all the sub trades in the larger picture and how important the work performed is to the overall project.” 

Colorado State has a brand-new team this year. “The students we get on the team tend to be our top students and it is very competitive,” noted Rubino. “They are looking at all parts of the industry and not just the general contracting world, which is where Construction Management (CM) programs tend to push them. Top students understand how important it is to see the whole picture, so they pick roofing. I also believe the mentorship part of the roofing competition is very appealing. The mentors bring a lot of industry relationships and help. It makes a difference.”   

The Roofing Alliance has also commissioned a survey, A Study of the U.S. Roofing Industry and Its Workforce working with Dr. Kenneth Sullivan of Arizona State University. A full report was presented in November 2019 at the Roofing Alliance fall meeting. The report helped inform of the current makeup of the roofing industry and played an important role in understanding the demographics of our future workforce. Are we attracting millennials and Gen Z? The Roofing Alliance believes that by understanding our demographics it will help with programs that will attract the next generation of the roofing workforce.   

Along with the demographics survey, the Roofing Alliance is also currently funding a study out of Clemson University by Dr. Dhaval Gajjar. He has developed and will implement Principles of Roofing from Design to Installation and Beyond, a college-level course specific to the roofing industry that will educate construction management students on the overall roofing industry and make them aware of the roofing industry as a potential career option.   

These programs at the university level are bringing a whole new attention to the roofing industry. To help your recruiting program, look at getting involved with your local community college, university or vocational schools. The opportunities are available in every community and if you need help understanding the questions to ask, you can look to the NRCA, Roofing Alliance or your local and regional associations including the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA).   

Another program to look at locally is if you have any SkillsUSA events locally or regionally. The Roofing Alliance recently provided funding for NRCA’s partnership with SkillsUSA. As part of the funding plan, a joint committee has been formed with NRCA and Roofing Alliance members to focus on Career and Technical Education (CTE) outreach with SkillsUSA as a first and integral step for the initiative.   

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure the U.S. has a skilled workforce. It provides educational programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education in US classrooms. SkillsUSA has more than 360,000 annual members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. departments of Education and Labor as integral to career and technical education. Look in your own community for this and similar programs for young people interested in construction and potentially roofing.  

All of these programs should be on your radar for finding your future workforce and management teams. By hiring diversity including Millennials and Gen Z, you are building a team that will attract others to your company both customers and employees. It is a branding and marketing campaign that is different but critical to future success. 

Learn more about WSRCA in their RoofersCoffeeShop ® Directory or visit www.wsrca.com.