Foreman Training

The Research & Education Trust Fund’s Foreman Trainings are a joint venture of labor and management, designed to provide unions, signatory contractors, and their respective current and future foremen with the foremost training program in the roofing industry. These trainings were initiated in 2009 and have seen increasing popularity over the years. By 2017, there had been 44 trainings provided to locals nationwide, and as of October 2023, there have been 92! The Research & Education Trust Fund will continue to provide the foreman trainings as they have proven highly beneficial to all host locals who have participated.

The Program is Intended to Accomplish the Following:

Enhance the foremen’s ability to lead jobs and supervise crews so they can meet or exceed industry safety, productivity, and quality standards;
Instill interpersonal skills that will motivate and retain apprentices and journeymen in our industry while completing projects in a timely and fiscally responsible manner.
Ensure that the quality, efficiency, and productivity of foremen and crews reach their full potential.

The exercises and information contained in these modules present the critical skills for success, determined through a survey of signatory contractors, union officials, and working foremen. Each module addresses a series of skills as outlined below.

Foreman Training Part 1
(The Role of Foremen)

Communication Skills
Problem Solving
Math and Measurement
Safety Skills
Teaching Skills
Anti-Harassment in the Workplace

Foreman Training Part 2
(Managing the Project and the Workforce)

Reading Plans and Specifications
Planning and Starting the Project
Motivating and Reinforcing Workers
Leadership Styles
Documentation and Recording Information

Design

The curriculum is designed to allow participants to engage actively in learning. Lectures are minimized, while interaction and activity are maximized. Participants will be asked to reflect on their experience and to share ideas with each other. The activities are intended to have a fluidity between other modules in the series whereas an instructor can select any number of activities/exercises to accommodate the time available to him or her.

Time

The entire program – all 11 modules – is four full days in length. Delivery has been in two parts, each of which is two days in length.
These classes need to be scheduled through the Roofers & Waterproofers Research and Education Joint Trust Fund Office.

Instructors

The program is currently co-taught by seasoned instructors who are past foremen with extensive roofing experience.