Utilizing Online Resources to Bridge the Generational Gap

RCS Influencer Mandy McIntyre says using online training and videos can help younger contractors gain valuable knowledge for their careers.

Editor’s note: The following consists of a conversation between RCS Multimedia Manager Megan Ellsworth, and Mandy McIntyre. 

Megan Ellsworth: Always takes a second. Yay. Okay. Here we go. Hello everyone. My name is Megan Ellsworth here at rooferscoffeeshop.com. And we are back again with September's roofing influencer response. And this month's question is all about bridging the generational knowledge gap. And today I'm here chatting with Mandy McIntyre from LevelUp Consultants. Hi Mandy.

Mandy McIntyre: Hi Megan.

Megan Ellsworth: I always love chatting with you,

Mandy McIntyre: Likewise.

Megan Ellsworth: And this month's topic is going to be so fun talking about generational knowledge. So here's this month's question. It is how are you bridging the growing generational knowledge and skill gap and how are you maybe in your world, how are you helping contractors bridge that gap?

Mandy McIntyre: Yes, this is a great topic this month, because it's something that needs addressing. And I think with, I have two kind of takes on this. One, as foreman or older field employees start to kind of age out physically where they can't do the work anymore, a good place to utilize all that knowledge is to put them in the role as a coach, a roofing coach or a trainer, so that that's all they do is they train. I've seen that with different contractors and that has worked really well. The problem is that's kind of few and far between,

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah.

Mandy McIntyre: To find somebody to do that. So what I have seen done and what I recommend is to utilize the power of Google and YouTube and to utilize the knowledge of the Europeans, because they have been doing a lot. And I guess I'm talking more of craftsman work with specialty, especially with slate, tile, copper, because I see contractors try to do that stuff and there's not many people that can do it, but if you just Google and YouTube different, just put in like slate roofing, you will find a plethora of information from these European contractors that have been doing it for generations, and they have so much skill and you can learn so much. And there's a contractor that I'm working with that recently sold a job that has lead as part of the roofing system.

Megan Ellsworth: Oh, okay.

Mandy McIntyre: And so he went to YouTube, watched all these European craftsmen, teach how to do it and then taught his guys from that YouTube video and now they're installing it.

Megan Ellsworth: Wow.

Mandy McIntyre: Yeah. And then another thing too is utilizing the NRCA trainings. They have all kinds of training for everything. And I mean, it's a shame not to utilize that because it's all right there for any system. So if you're talking like EPDM, TPO, shingle roofs, you have it all right there. So that's everything that you need from years and years of knowledge in an easily accessible and very understandable learning platform.

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. And you walk away with a certification, which is cool.

Mandy McIntyre: Exactly, exactly. So I really think that if you have those people on your team that are able to teach, that is great. I don't think that's viable for every contractor,

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah.

Mandy McIntyre: Whereas YouTube, Google and NRCA trainings are. So just invest in the NRCA trainings or do some digging and research on your own and do a lunch and learn where you all watch the video and then you do a hands on demonstration and you all learn together.

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah.

Mandy McIntyre: Because that knowledge is like, it's hard to access. There's just not enough people that have it or able to teach it because you want them on the job doing the actual production.

Megan Ellsworth: Right.

Mandy McIntyre: You know what I mean?

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely.

Mandy McIntyre: Yeah.

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. So true. And maybe they're older, knowledgeable, skilled works people have already retired and are like, eh, I'm good. I'm going to stay home and go golfing or whatever.

Mandy McIntyre: Exactly. That's why I feel like if you can find someone who is aging out that wants to stay on as a coach, that's great. But most people probably just want to retire.

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Right.

Mandy McIntyre: Yeah. Or they just don't want to be up on a roof anymore. You know what I mean? So yeah.

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, I love how you always approach these questions totally with a unique view. So I think this was really cool and absolutely use YouTube out there. People that are listening use it.

Mandy McIntyre: You can learn anything on YouTube and obviously make sure it's a reliable source.

Megan Ellsworth: Right.

Mandy McIntyre: Don't just go look up some Joe Schmo, but you can tell who's legit and who's not, and there is a wealth of free knowledge out there.

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. So true. Well, thank you, Mandy.

Mandy McIntyre: Thank you.

Megan Ellsworth: This has been fabulous. And we'll chat again in October.

Mandy McIntyre: Yes. Thank you so much, Megan.

Mandy McIntyre is the owner of Level Up Consultants, where she focuses on business consulting based on leadership and company culture in the roofing industry. See her full bio here.