The Roofing Alliance, the philanthropic arm of the National Roofing Contractors Association, announced last week that it would issue a three-year, $150,000 grant to help promote roofing within the SkillsUSA competition.

SkillsUSA is a national organization serving teachers and high school and college students preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, including construction, health occupations and myriad other trades for further education. 

The organization, founded in 1965, traces its roots back to 1917 when the first federal law relating to career and technical education in the United States, The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act, was passed.

SkillsUSA empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members. With a network representing nearly 400,000 career and technical education students and teachers, The organization offers pathways to career success through its extensive programs nationwide in middle schools, high schools, and college or other postsecondary institutions.

In a June 20 news release, the Roofing Alliance said the 2024 Roofing Skills Competition will feature student contestants from 12 states vying for the top spot in the commercial roofing thermoplastic category. 

Roofing Contractor magazine's former editorial director, Rick Damato (far left), and friends "represent" the roofing industry during the SkillsUSA 2023 trade show’s exposition in Atlanta.

Delegations from the Roofing Alliance and the National Roofing Contractors Association said they plan to attend the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference "Techspo" in Atlanta, Ga., to support career and technical education efforts. The week-long event begins today and runs through Friday, June 28.

NRCA’s CTE Committee said it is dedicated to enhancing the roofing industry's reputation and participating in CTE events like SkillsUSA. The Roofing Alliance said supporting CTE education aligns with its mission to advance roofing education. This support extends to university-level construction management programs and the annual student competition.

Moreover, these initiatives incorporate the ProCertification and TRAC programs, both funded and supported by the Roofing Alliance. These CTE efforts boost roofing industry exposure for the next generation and leverage NRCA resources to provide education, foster awareness of roofing professionalism, and highlight career opportunities in the field.

“While it may take a generation for roofing to become fully engaged with CTE, the next five years will be the most important,” Roofing Alliance member and former Roofing Contractor magazine Editorial Director Rick Damato said. 

“It will require extraordinary efforts and member support to launch our initiatives,” he added. “The Roofing Alliance funding is phenomenal and critical to ensure our CTE efforts are successful.”

For more information, visit roofingalliance.net.