Roofers: Job Description, Education, Skills and Duties, Earnings and Outlook
Submitted by: paula
Job Overview Those roofs that we see in houses, buildings, leisure parks are attributed to the work and expertise of the roofers. Roofers are the types of workers who do the installation of the roofs using different methods, styles and different materials such as metal or iron sheets, asphalt shingles, slate. tiles, through single ply roofing system or built up roofing system. Although roofing is basically their specialization, they may also do waterproof and damp-proofs walls, building swimming pool surfaces and any other buildling surfaces. There are approximately around 162,000 roofing workers employed in the United States.
Education, Knowledge and Trainings Required
There is no specific minimum educational requirements to become a roofer. What is important in this job is the skill that they should master in roofing methodologies. They either learn the skill through an on the job training, after taking a vocational course in any of the community college, or by a successful completion of an apprenticeship program. The latter generally provides them with a directed, more thorough and balanced knowledge, through classroom instructions, plus a curriculum embedded on the job training. This usually lasts for three years in minimum.
Skills and Abilities
Roofers should have a very good communication skills and be able to understand instructions well. They will be working hand in hand with the architects and the owner of the building or the house for the roofing plans of the infrastructure. Physical strength, creativity and technical skills with the use of the different tools (cutters, welders, chalk lines, hammers, knives, caulking guns, adhesives) and roofing materials are needed. Also, it is a must that they pay attention to the minutest details in roofing, such that though roof may be as simple at it may seem, it is one of the most important weather protection of any building.
Duties
The job basically revolves around installation of new roofs, and repairing of the worn out and old ones. They should be experts in applying most kinds of roofing materials and oftentimes, the expertise is classified into two specializations: either in sheet membrane roofing or, prepared roofing materials including asphalt shingles, tiles or slates.
To give an example on how they do it. There is a specific type of sheet membrane roofing method called the built-up roofing. In this technique, the roofers target the flat roofs, and using a roofing felt, which is a type of fabric saturated or consisting of bituminous material, they build up the roof layer by layer. This is a water proof material. They use several layers of this roofing felt after laying down the insulators initially, and secure them with a hot bitumen. A top smooth finish may be accomplished as desired or a rough finish, by putting an embedded gravel on the top layer.
Job Outlook and Earnings
The salary range for roofers starts off from roughly around 19,000 U.S. dollars to around 30,000 U.S. dollars on an annual basis. There are some roofers who have built their names in the industry, and who have made projects on their own, making themselves as contractors, not employee, who earn approximately around and over 53,000 U.S. dollars in a year.
Paula Hiz is a researcher and a human resource specialist who helps newly graduates, job applicants and post graduate professionals be aware of their job opportunities and available trainings for skills and practice upgrading.
Latest Articles about: Careers
1: College Mathematics Professors: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook2: Mathematics Teacher: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
3: Medical Assistant: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
4: Mathematicians: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
5: Medical Ethicist: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
Word Count: 577 Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 Time: 6:57 AM
Previous - Roman Catholic Priests: Job Description, Education, Skills and Duties, Earnings and Outlook | Next - Roustabouts: Job Description, Education, Skills and Duties, Earnings and Outlook