How mentorship fuels the lifeblood of the industry

By Jenny Yu.  

This mentorship pair exemplifies how successful relationships can help shape the future of roofing. 

Ask any successful professional in the industry and they will likely be able to tell you about a mentor who has guided them along their career path. In today’s labor shortage, education and mentorships are key in continuing the growth and development of the trades.  

One such mentorship pair joined Megan Ellsworth in this Roofing Road Trips® episode after mentee Nathanial Koren of Branson/Springfield Roof Co. won the Empower All Scholarship from the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). Nathanial’s mentor, Mark DeFrietas, vice president of national and strategic accounts at SOPREMA, shared why he felt mentorship is so critical in attracting talent to the roofing industry.  

“According to the NRCA, More than 20% of US construction workers are 55 years old. In 2023, the average age of a construction worker was 42. 45% of construction workers are 45 years or older. 41% of construction workers will retire by 2031,” Mark explained. “The lifeblood of our industry, of all industries, is people. So, we've got to make it as attractive as possible, and mentorship plays a big part in that.” 

Beyond getting more workers through the door, mentorship helps these individuals stay and build a lifelong career. “We are all in competition to get the younger generation into our industry, but it’s just as important to retain them,” Mark stated. “There are going to be peaks and valleys. If you have a strong mentor, they can help you through it. They can celebrate the good times, but they can also be there with the challenging times. I think that's really important.” 

For Nathanial, this guidance has been invaluable as he navigates professional opportunities and industry events. “When I went to the International Roofing Expo (IRE), Mark helped me break down what the convention is about and what I'm going there for. Then he introduced me to people that I needed to know,” Nathanial shared.  

He also highlighted how mentorship helps build confidence in young professionals by learning through the experiences of their predecessors. “In Mark's case, he has so much experience. He has so much knowledge. So rather than learn by my own mistakes, why not learn from someone that's already made those mistakes?” Nathanial said. “For him to give back to people like me makes me super grateful.” 

Finally, mentorship empowers the future of roofing professionals by offering a place of belonging. “Mentorship not only gives you the resource, the technical or the business resource, but it gives you the human part of it,” Mark expressed. “Our industry strength is the people. Mentorship offers connection, feeling like you belong, feeling that you're being listened to and knowing that we were all in your place at one point.” 

Read the first article in this series or Listen to the podcast to learn more about mentorship in roofing.