BALTIMORE — GAF Roofing Academy has partnered with North American Trade Schools to teach commercial and residential roofing to people in West Baltimore.
The free four-day event gave students the opportunity to have hands-on training, which included step-by-step instructions on the tools and hands-on guidance of the process of roofing.
Watch as the residents get hands on training
"We are dedicated to supporting people from under-served or underrepresented communities in being trained or up-trained or up-skilled in roofing, commercial roofing, residential roofing, coding, sales you name it, even solar. And then once they participate in our program, we typically have a job fair at the end of the week," says Kimberly Santiago, program director at GAF Roofing Academy.
The training was open to anyone and did not require any previous schooling, training, or experience.
Because of that, people like Cleta Long were able to try something new.
"I wanted to be in more hands-on stuff. I was originally a CNA. I wanted to come and do some hands-on stuff, some hard-working stuff. I heard about it through the career development program and I decided to give it a try," Long said.
And she says she really enjoys the training and the new career path she is creating for herself.
"Just give it a try, you never know what you might see and what you might like," said Long.
Justin Mathis, the Building Trades Director of North American Trade Schools, says he is proud to see so many people eager to learn this trade, which can be useful to shaping the future of Baltimore's landscape as more homes and commercial buildings are constructed.
"We're able to do big things that most people wouldn't normally do because they don't have the skill or they don't have the know how, or the drive or the desire. These people all have the drive, the desire, the energy, and it makes me feel good because I graduated from the program as well," says Mathis.
On Friday, there will be a job fair at the site where the students will get a chance to interview with a number of companies and possibly end the week with a new job.
