Also known as
- Apprentice Roofer
- Asphalt Roofer
- Built-up Roofer
- Flat Roofer
- Residential Steep Roofer
- Single-ply Roofer
Your duties | Work conditions | Essential Skills | Apprenticeship | Certification | Where to study | Salary ranges | Building your career | Job prospects
Do you like working outside? Are you physically fit and keen on exercise? Do you get along well with others? Could you work in high places? Do you like working with your hands? Are you comfortable in hot temperatures? Then Roofer/Shingler could be the career for you!
What the work is like
Roofers install, repair or replace flat roofs and shingles, shakes or other roofing tiles on sloped roofs. Shinglers install and replace shingles, tiles and similar coverings on sloped roofs. Roofers/shinglers may also waterproof basements, foundations and decks.
As a Roofer/Shingler, you will be employed by roofing and general contractors for construction or repair jobs, or you may be self-employed.
Roofers and shinglers work in the New Home Building and Renovation, and Institutional andCommercial construction sectors. To learn more about the construction sectors, check out Inside the industry.
Your duties
As a Roofer/Shingler, your duties may include the following:
- installing, repairing or replacing roofing systems using materials such as asphalt and gravel
- installing, repairing or replacing shingles and other roofing tiles
- applying waterproof coatings to concrete surfaces
- installing and repairing metal roofs using hand and power tools
- installing scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs
- estimating required materials and costs
Work conditions
The standard work week for roofers and shinglers is 40 hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in, and will vary from one job to the next.
Most roofers and shinglers work steadily throughout the year because roof systems need to be replaced every 15 to 20 years.
As a Roofer/Shingler, you will work mostly outdoors, and with a crew of other construction professionals. The job can be physically demanding – you may have to lift heavy materials, and roofing can be quite hot during the summer.
As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Roofers and shinglers are trained to work safely and wear special equipment such as safety harnesses to protect themselves from injury.
Essential Skills
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has identified nine Essential Skills that are necessary to succeed in the workplace. These skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and apply to most construction careers. Best of all, you can learn and improve on these skills in school, on the job and during your everyday life.
The most important Essential Skills for roofers and shinglers are the following:
- Numeracy – working with numbers to perform calculations
- Significant Use of Memory – performing tasks that call upon greater memory use than most jobs
- Working with Others – interacting with co-workers to get the job done
Click here to see how these skills are applied on the job. You can also click here to learn more about Essential Skills.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is one way of starting out in the construction industry. It involves both classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certified Roofer/Shingler, called a journeyperson.
As an apprentice, you earn while you learn and are paid by the hour while working on the job site. Wages start at about 65% of a journeyperson’s hourly rate and increase during your apprenticeship until you reach the full rate.
Entering an apprenticeship program
Requirements for roofer/shingler apprenticeship programs vary across Canada. In most provinces and territories, you must have a Grade 9 education or equivalent to enter the program.
Some provinces and territories offer secondary school apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to work towards a career as a Roofer/Shingler.
For more information, check out the Apprenticeship section.
Program length
Apprenticeship training programs for roofers and shinglers vary across Canada, but generally involve four 12-month periods, including at least 5,860 hours of on-the-job training, three six-week blocks
of technical training and a final certificate exam.
Related work experience or completion of a roofer/shingler program at a college or technical institute can reduce the time required to complete your apprenticeship.
Certification
Certification is required in Quebec. It is available but voluntary in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and the Yukon. Where certification is not available, it may be possible to study as an apprentice through your local labour organization. Check out Related links to find out who to contact. Even where certification is voluntary, it is still recommended. Certification tells employers and other workers that you are a skilled professional. It also helps you get jobs.
To be certified as a Roofer/Shingler, you usually need to complete of a four-year apprenticeship program. Once you successfully complete the required on-the-job training, technical t
raining and exams, you are awarded a journeyperson certificate.
If you have more than three years of on-the-job experience and some high school, college or industry courses in roofing/shingling, you may be eligible for certification in some provinces and territories.
As a certified Roofer/Shingler, you may attempt the Interprovincial Exam to qualify for the Interprovincial Standards’ Red Seal. With a Red Seal, you can work as a Roofer/Shingler anywhere in Canada.
To keep your skills current, you have to keep up with new technological developments by reading and talking with other roofers.
Where to study in Canada
In addition to the Canadian schools listed below, many employer and labour organizations offer training. For more information, check out Related links.
Alberta
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
British Columbia
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia
Ontario
Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology
Specialty programs
In addition to the schools listed above, new Canadians and women can enrol in one of the following specialty programs:
For new Canadians with experience as roofers/shinglers, NorQuest College offers a program called Transitions to Technical and Trades Careers.
For women, Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology offers an integrated program called Women in Skilled Trades.
Salary ranges
Roofer and Shingler hourly wages vary depending on the contract, the company, collective agreements, and local and national economic conditions. Typical hourly wage ranges for roofers and shinglers (based on national or regional averages) are as follows:
Junior apprentices
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$9-$16 |
Based on national averages, junior apprentices can earn annual salaries ranging from $19,000 to $33,000 per year, not including overtime.
Journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$16-$25 |
Based on national averages, journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $33,000 to $52,000 per year, not including overtime.
Highly experienced journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$24-$29 |
Based on national averages, highly experienced journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $50,000 to $60,000 per year, not including overtime.
Construction work can involve overtime, so your total annual salary will vary depending on the number of overtime hours you work.
In addition to the hourly rate, many construction workers receive statutory holiday and vacation pay. Depending on the contract, you may also receive benefits such as group insurance for health, dental, and vision care, as well as retirement packages and training benefits up to 30% of your hourly rate. If you are self-employed, it is up to you to arrange your own benefits.
Building your career
With experience and additional training, you can move into more senior positions, including supervisory roles. You can also become self-employed and work as a contractor.
As with most careers in the construction industry, your skills are portable. If you want to move, you can take your skills with you.
Job prospects
Construction careers across Canada are booming! To learn about the forecast for roofers and shinglers, check out Job prospects. There you’ll find information on their expected demand by province for the next nine years.
The Construction Sector Council accepts no responsibility or liability connected with the use or reproduction of the information contained on this website. It is provided “as is” and is intended for informational use only without warranty, express or implied.
