For the past decade, the Roofing Alliance and its partners helped showcase and shape the future of roofing by hosting a student competition on the industry’s biggest stage.

That tradition continues when the International Roofing Expo’s 10th annual Roofing Alliance Construction Management Student Competition begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The annual contest is where the next generation's brightest minds engage in a riveting showcase of competitive bidding, estimating prowess, and unwavering passion for the roofing industry.

This year's focal project — the Formula 1 Paddock Building in Las Vegas — saw an unprecedented 10 teams from major universities around the country delve into extensive research, submitting meticulous bid packages with the chance to deliver compelling oral presentations. The presentations and each team’s entire body of work will be evaluated by a panel of roofing industry veterans from the Alliance.

The top five teams chosen were announced at the beginning of January and invited to attend IRE for the competition for the last leg of the contest: the oral competition. Each team will present their bids, illustrating their project management, estimating and safety knowledge. The students will also have an opportunity to tour the F1 Paddock Building before the presentations. Each team has been assisted by assigned roofing contractor mentors and former competition participants turned team mentors, helping craft proposals reviewed and scored by a panel of industry luminaries on the judge’s panel.

The top two teams will be recognized onstage during the NRCA's Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception, which takes place from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Former Roofing Alliance President Kelly Van Winkle expressed pride in the seamless connection between student competition and industry recruitment, exemplified by the success story of Kyle Cahill, a former competitor turned mentor and current employee at King of Texas Roofing Co.

Roofing Alliance President Greg Bloom of Beacon Building Products hails the student competition as his favorite IRE event, urging all roofing professionals to attend and support the rising stars in the making. It's an opportunity to glimpse into the industry's future and perhaps engage in some recruiting.

“This hallmark event exposes students to roofing as a career choice and provides a valuable opportunity to network and connect with fellow students, faculty and Roofing Alliance members,” Bloom said in  a written statement. “Every roofing professional should plan to attend the student competition. This is the future, and we need to support them and this competition.”

Participation is seamless for IRE attendees: walk in the morning of the competition and cheer on these exceptional students while witnessing the roofing industry's evolution at its finest.