Why lifelong learning matters now more than ever

By RIDGEPRO.

As the industry evolves, staying ahead means embracing lifelong learning — because the classroom is no longer just for kids.

It’s easy to think that learning stops when school ends, but in today’s rapidly evolving world, that mindset could be holding you back. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, industries are transforming at breakneck speed, driven by new technologies, materials and methods. Lifelong learning isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a necessity for staying relevant and competitive. If you’re still relying on what you learned years ago, you might be missing out on opportunities to streamline your work, impress clients and ultimately boost your bottom line. With us here at RIDGEPRO explore how you can make lifelong learning a powerful tool in your professional arsenal.

1 - Do you practice lifelong learning?

If your happiest day ever was when you walked out the door of your high school, trade school or college, it’s time to start flexing that unused learning muscle – your highly adaptable brain. These days, it’s all about Lifelong Learning because innovation is happening at lightning speed in every industry. New materials, new tools and new computer platforms including AI are released on a regular basis, any of which have the potential to make worklife easier and strengthen your bottom line. Need evidence? How many drones were in use surveying roofs or jobsites when you started in the business?

2 - Do you know how to get started? 

Don’t have time for that back-to-school stuff, you say? That’s no longer a good excuse because today there are so many ways to learn and some of them don’t even feel like learning in the traditional sense. You could, for example, listen to a podcast during your daily windshield time or find videos about new materials on YouTube. Stay alert for any manufacturers coming to your local roofing supply company to demo new tools or products so you can get hands-on training. An excellent resource for all the the latest industry news is at: https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/read-listen-watch-rcs.

3 - What good will it do?

For one thing, you’ll feel smarter and more in control when you know where the industry (and your customers) are heading. The roofing business is rapidly advancing on all fronts including new shingles, coatings and more environmentally friendly products. You won’t have to worry that your potential customer will stump you on a sales call by asking about a product or technique you haven’t heard about yet.

4 - Anything else?

Yes. It’s important to share what you’ve learned; to pay it forward. Your office staff and onsite crew members need to keep learning as well. Not only will ongoing training or education increase job satisfaction and employee retention, you’ll reap tangible and measurable benefits from smarter, more efficient workers. This is particularly important in the essential area of safety training. A single accident not only harms the worker(s) involved, an on-the-job injury disturbs the emotional health and therefore, the productivity of all your crews. Check out: www.theRIDGEPRO.com. We’ve been trusted by safety professionals since 2013. 

OK, Class: are you ready to take the test? It’s only one question. What are you waiting for?