Dozens of students have spent the past week hard at work on practice roofs throughout the city learning skills that could land them high-demand jobs.
Dallas College’s free, week-long roofing bootcamp ends Friday with companies interviewing and possibly hiring new graduates. Across several of the school’s campuses, nearly 60 students attended classroom and hands-on courses in roof installation, sales and marketing, and office administration.
George Barrera has his own construction business and is a roofing instructor at Dallas College’s South Dallas Training Center. With 26 years of experience, he teaches students basic roofing construction that includes how to do sails, lay out the shingles, lay the drip edge and underlayment.
“That’s what we’re here for,” he said, “to prepare them for the real world out there.”
A recent workforce survey by the Associated General Contractors of America and National Center for Construction Education and Research found more than 90% of companies with job openings reported difficulty finding qualified workers amid a national labor shortage.
Tony Ledford’s ready to learn – and ready for a new opportunity. Before joining Barrera’s class, he struggled with drugs and jail. He was recently released. The father of a four year-old daughter, Ledford wants to build a better life for her with this new career.
“That was kind of a real eye opener for me,” he said. “I’ve got to make some changes, do some right things. So I want to get a proper education and start making some right choices so I can be a good father.”
Dallas College coordinator Latonua Walker said graduates of this bootcamp can earn $40,000 a year and up. She said at Friday’s graduation at the Bill Priest Center, there’ll be roofing companies ready to interview students.
“Those companies are actively looking for employees,” she said.
She expects another free bootcamp to be organized for February.
Bill Zeeble is KERA’s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X @bzeeble.
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