SkillsUSA is heating up at the Roofing Pavillion!

The Roofing Pavillion provided an opportunity for people to walk on mock roof, heat weld TPO and take in the show floor view from new heights!

Editor's note: The following is a transcript of a conversation between industry professionals after the first day of SkillsUSA.

Heidi Ellsworth: I just want to say that being SkillsUSA is a huge privilege because we're helping the next generation be a part of roofing. Roofing is the best trade ever and at the roofing on its SkillsUSA we now have a competition for commercial roofing and we're gonna watch them tomorrow.

Karen Edwards: I think today on the first day was a great opportunity because there weren't any competitions and we got to talk to all the students and the competitors who were coming to our booth and I think we had like 500 people welding TPO. Today we went through that many pairs of gloves so I think it was fantastic and the interest level from these kids who are in the trades but haven't really been exposed to roofing has been just phenomenal.

Lisa Sprick: Hey this is Lisa Sprick with Sprick Roofing in Corvallis, Oregon. I didn't get to the event today but I am so excited to see tomorrow and the competitors and the energy from the students.

Sherry Miles: This is Sherry Miles from Miles Roofing in Chesapeake, Virginia. What I love about this and our industry in general is the relationships. It's all about getting to know the people and when we can connect with this next generation of roofing professionals and bring them into the fold and show them the pathways of success, model to them what it can be, what you can be in this world and in this life in the roofing industry, it's just amazing. So I'm excited for tomorrow's competition. You know, it is all about the the winners, but it's also about just what people can do.

Rich Trewyn: This is Rich with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). I'm the director of risk education and training. And I think what I liked most about today was the excitement in the kids faces as they got up to do some heat welding and their first roofing experience. It was a fantastic show, from the parents being excited about what their kids are doing to the kids themselves to even the siblings of those kids. It was a fantastic event and I really enjoy just seeing the joy in their faces about finally somebody appreciating their choice in life which was to go into the trades. 

Greg Hudson: I'm Greg Hudson with Georgia Pacific Building Products. The most exciting thing that I've seen today at SkillsUSA was the scale of the students and their parents and the mentors that are here. And the presence that roofing has when you walk on that show floor and see all those decks laid out and the tower sitting there, the demonstrations going on, and the engagement that the attendees had with the folks from the NRCA, Johns Manville and everyone else represented.

John Esbenshade: I'm John Esbenshade with National Roofing Contractors Association and my favorite part about SkillsUSA today was seeing the culmination of a lot of work over a lot of years from a lot of people and today for the first day, it really came to a climax. We had people from every aspect of the industry, every walk of life and every corner of the country come together in order to celebrate the accomplishments of these students.

Lauren White: This is my first time attending and I'm just excited to be here and excited to trade pins with all of the students from the different states and just being here and seeing the roofing pavilion and walking up on scaffolding and heat welding for my first time. So that was very exciting, and encouraging other people and students to do the same thing and can't wait for tomorrow for the actual competition.