An entry · Work it
Roofer
High up where few want to be, a roofer keeps the rain off everyone below.
From curious to committed
Your first steps.
A first visit can be enough. It can also be the beginning.
Meet the craft
Join a volunteer build or repair day and shadow roofers laying a simple, low roof safely.
Explore experiences →Give it another afternoon
Notice what you want to come back to. Ask the teacher what regular practice would look like, and what support you would need.
Keep a note for next time →See the working day
Join a roofing apprenticeship and learn to lay tile, slate, or membrane safely while working at height.
Explore ways into the work →These are starting points. A workshop is not a professional qualification. Entry requirements and recognised training depend on the work and the country.
Before you walk in
A few things worth asking the host before you book.
- Is this session suitable for someone who has never tried it?
- What should I bring, wear or prepare?
- What is included, and are there any extra costs?
- Can you accommodate my access needs?
- What could I try next if I enjoy it?
Teach this craft? Share what beginners ask you →
Showing San Francisco, and 1 elsewhere is hidden
Show every city →Work it
Do the work.
Jobs, apprenticeships, and training that put a person in the room.
Places to begin
- Apprenticeship
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers
Roofers and Waterproofers Apprenticeship
United States · Three to five year apprenticeship
This earn while you learn apprenticeship trains you on the job and in the classroom to become a skilled union roofer and waterproofer.
- Certification
National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC)
NFRC NVQ Assessment Service
United Kingdom
The UK roofing federation's on-site assessment service that helps working roofers gain Level 2 and Level 3 NVQs across slating, tiling, cladding, and membrane specialisms.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship
Roofing apprenticeship
Join a roofing apprenticeship and learn to lay tile, slate, or membrane safely while working at height.
- Course
Roofing course
Take a roofing course covering materials, flashing, and fall protection, working toward certification.
- Entry job
Start as a laborer
Start as a roofing laborer loading and stripping, and learn each roof system from the crew.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasLive it
Live the hour.
Experiences, classes, and places where the presence is the whole point.
Places to begin
- Volunteer
Habitat for Humanity
Construction Volunteer Build
United States · Year-round local builds
Join a local build and get up on the roof helping raise real homes for families, with training and tools provided and no experience required.
- Visit
California Academy of Sciences
See the Living Roof
San Francisco, California
Climb to the observation deck of a rolling 2.5 acre living roof planted with nearly two million native plants.
Ways in
- Workshop
Volunteer build day
Join a volunteer build or repair day and shadow roofers laying a simple, low roof safely.
- Visit
Heritage roofing demo
Visit a heritage building site or roofing demonstration to watch slate and tile set by hand.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasWhy the human is the point
A roof is the one part of a home asked to face the sky every single day, and the roofer is the person who makes it equal to the task. They work at height, in sun and wind, laying tile or slate so each piece laps the next and sheds water exactly where it should. It is heavy, exposed work that demands a cool head and a real feel for how a roof breathes and drains. There is a plain, honest pride in a finished roof that will keep a family dry through storms for a generation. The roofer stands between the weather and the people underneath, and takes that seriously every time they climb the ladder.
Kept nearby
