Free roofing academy in Denver is only for women

Kimberly Santiago-Vega had just settled into a career helping to create courses for the PhD program at Ohio State University when she decided to switch gears.

She wasn't as happy as she had hoped to be working in the world of academia, she said.

What Santiago-Vega really wanted to be was a roofer.

She had been working part time for a construction subcontractor in the business office during college, and she was fascinated by how roofs were built, she said.

"I’ve always been a hands-on person and roofing is something that really intrigued me," said Santiago-Vega, 36, who lives in Columbus, Ohio.

When she quit her job in academia about four years ago and told friends and family that she had decided instead to pursue a career building roofs, Santiago-Vega said everyone thought she had lost her mind.

"My parents were shocked," she said. "They were like, ‘You have this education — you’ve been studying your whole life. And now you’re just going to give it up? That's crazy!’"

"Everyone questioned what I was doing," she said, noting that she has three college degrees: a bachelor's degree in linguistics and a master's degree in English education from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, and an education specialist degree from Ohio State University.

Santiago-Vega started dropping by home sites where new roofs were being installed and offered to help clean up the mess left on the ground by roofing crews, she said.

"I’d clean up the trash and ask a lot of questions," she said. "As I’d pick up the materials they’d thrown to the ground, I’d ask, ‘What exactly is this? How do you install it? Which roofing material is the best?’"

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She soon enrolled in roofing classes, became licensed and started her own company designing and installing roofs on homes and businesses in Columbus. She is now a manager and instructor for the GAF Roofing Academy, a nationwide training program for roofers.

Santiago-Vega graduated from the GAF program four years ago and said she now belongs to an exclusive club she calls the "Shingle Ladies" — female roofing instructors and contractors with a passion for installing neat rows of shingles or tiles on steep surfaces.

She will be teaching classes in Denver through March 3 at a free two-week GAF Roofing Academy exclusively for women. Santiago-Vega hopes to show women — no matter where they are in their lives — that it isn't necessary to have a college degree to earn a decent living, she said.

"Yes, roofing is a male-dominated industry, and that might seem intimidating to some," said Santiago-Vega, explaining that only about 4 percent of licensed roofers are women. The National Women in Roofing organization now counts more than 2,100 members.

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There is a high demand now for roofers due to backlogs brought on during the pandemic and supply chain issues, she said.

"Women can play an important role in filling the shortages in the industry," Santiago-Vega said. "To those who think we can't do it, guess what? We’re proving them wrong every day."

She said that male students are often surprised when they see her taking the lead in class.

"I think it's just not what they expect, but that quickly goes by the wayside once we get to work," she said. "Any doubts shift to trust as they realize I’m not only a skilled roofer, but a great teacher."

In addition to steady work, roofing can have unexpected benefits, Santiago-Vega said.

"It can get really hot up there on the roof with the sun beating down, and you also have to deal with the cold," she said. "But there's such a great feeling in a job well done. People are trusting you with their greatest asset: their home."

"If your home isn't protected with a good roof, all that money you spent on remodeling your kitchen or putting in a new garage isn't going to matter," she added. "A solid roof is everything."

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Lauren Morley, co-owner of R3NG, a roofing contractor in Denver, hopes to pass along that same message to women who come to the job fair held during the GAF Roofing Academy program in her city.

"There aren't very many women doing what I do, and I’d love to convince more of them to give roofing careers a try," said Morley, 32, noting that she managed a golf course before she decided that selling roofs and installing them would be more profitable and appealing.

"Very few people grow up saying they want to be a roofer someday — almost everyone in the industry used to do something else," she said.

"We’re known as the ‘second chance’ industry," Morley added.

"If they’re willing to put in the hard work, a good contractor will be willing to give them a chance," she said.

At the free Denver event, women are taught everything from how to strip off old roofing material to how to install new shingles on a steep slope.

Graduates of the academy will also receive certificates showing they have completed basic skills and are qualified for entry-level roofing jobs, said Santiago-Vega.

Nancy Yobei, 25, said she was inspired to sign up for the all-female roofing academy because she wants to make a steady wage and doesn't want to spend the rest of her life working inside an office in Denver.

"I’m excited to see where this takes me," she said. "There is more to roofing than what people think there is, and I have this curiosity. I want to learn more."

"I love to see women do what men can do, because we can do it better," Yobei added.

For Nukia Holmes of Denver, memories of helping her dad with his tools when she was younger made her realize she could be cut out for a career that involves pounding nails, she said.

"Hearing about this opportunity sparked something within me that made me say, ‘Why not?’" said Holmes, 23. "I love learning, and I’m a hands-on person. I’m really excited to start using the [roofing] tools."

She and other graduates of the program will each receive a $250 stipend in addition to tools worth $200 once they land their first jobs, Santiago-Vega said.

She said she would love to be there to witness the new roofers’ reactions when they’re able to stand back and look at their first finished roofs, lined with rows of neat shingles.

"It's a rewarding and fulfilling thing when you realize that you had the heart and the drive to take part in making that roof happen," Santiago-Vega said.

As a bonus, she added, "the sunrises and sunsets aren't so bad either."