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Our Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee is composed of equal members of labor and management. The Committee oversees each apprentice’s progress and education. The apprenticeship Office/Sponsor supplies employers with highly skilled workers that apply quality roofing and waterproofing systems. Apprentices learn their craft by training on the job under proper supervision and by studying technical subjects related to the roofing trade at the training center/apprenticeship school.

Once apprentices have learned the practical and technical aspects of the work, they graduate to journeyperson status. Roofing apprenticeship programs generally run for three to five years.

You earn while you learn the trade. Union Roofers and Waterproofers earn wages and fringe benefits that are negotiated on their behalf by the Union through collective bargaining with roofing contractors.

Wages vary by experience. Apprentices starting wages are $29.08 plus $10.69 benefits, for a total wage of $39.77 Journeyman wages are $52.87 plus $17.83, total wage package $70.70. Fringe benefits are outlined as follows; Health & Welfare for you and your dependents $9.40 per hour, National Roofing Industrial Pension Plan $.25 per hour, Supplemental Pension $.25 per hour, Pierce County Roofers JATC $.70 per hour, International Roofing Education Fund $.09, all paid by you your employer. For every 1,000 hrs. worked, apprentices are eligible for a pay increase. Learn more about Wage Rates HERE.

The scope varies as there are many different types of roofing systems that you may install. At times you may install on newly constructed buildings or you may need to remove an existing roof. You will work on a variety of building types, protecting those facilities against water intrusion and ultimate damage to the structure and its contents. Roofing in the commercial and industrial sectors generally consists of Built-up or Single-ply systems. Learn more about the types of roofing we teach HERE.

At the beginning, one should expect to move materials, which will help you learn how to identify materials, tear off old roofs, remove roof debris from a roof, load materials, set up for safety, and do some installation.

More installation time and responsibility. As newer apprentices come in, you are expected to help train them as well.

• You must be 18 years of age or older

• You must pass a drug test

• You must have sufficient schooling to meet the requirements of the trade, or completion of the 10th grade

• You must be in good health and physically able

• You must have a valid driver's license in the State of Washington

Applications are accepted year-round. You must apply in person at: 3049 S 36th Street, Room 213, Tacoma, WA 98409

Absolutely! Learn more about women in Roofing HERE.

You can find a list of Training Agents (Roofing Contractors) we work with HERE.

Yes, there is a $49 drug testing fee.

At the time of application, you will need to bring cash (or money order) in the amount of $49 made out to Local 153, your driver’s license, social security card, and check stubs if you have previous experience. You will complete your application, then you will go out for drug screening. (Drug screening MUST take place the same day you apply.) We will receive your test results usually within 2-3 business days. At that time we will contact you. If the test comes back negative you will be scheduled to attend a 2-hour orientation to complete paperwork, go through your obligations as an apprentice, talk about your obligations as a Union member, and complete a roofing fundamentals activity/knowledge test. You will then be dispatched to a company. Within 30 days of initial application, you will attend a mandatory 8-hour safety class. Upon completion of this class you will be issued a Fundamentals of Safety credentials and your intake is complete.

Starting Apprentice Wage for 2026 is $29.08 plus $10.69 benefits, for a total wage of $39.77

Journeyman wages are $52.87 plus $17.83, total wage package $70.70.

You can find more information about wages HERE.

You need to...

• Be physically capable to do the work

• Show up early every day

• Work well with others

• Be ready to learn

• Enjoy hands-on work

• Have reliable transportation

The majority of training will be on the roof with their employer. The first four weeks of class (first year) are composed of Safety and Fundamentals of Roofing. 2nd and 3rd year school provides a refresher course and hands-on for each roofing system. Classes are January through May, one week each month.

Minimum requirement is 5,000 on the job training (OJT) hours and 490 hours of related supplemental instruction (RSI). 10 hours safety in the first year and 160 hours of RSI for every 2,000 hours worked. Classes run Jan-May.

All training will take place at Clover Park Technical College, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW, Lakewood, WA 98499

You can locate everything you need HERE.

Training is given during the week. Classes are 4 to 5 days a week starting at 7:30 am – 3:30 pm.

Yes. We are a drug-free business. There will be random drug testing.

Only if the project their crew is working on is outside of Pierce County. If location is a problem, you can request to work with a different crew. This will be handled through the Superintendent’s office at each contractor.

Our program’s geographical area covers Pierce, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz and Pacific Counties, and surrounding areas.

Medical insurance (Doctor, Dental, Chiropractic), one pension and a supplemental plan, ability to transfer to other programs in other states, if moving, without losing status. There are multiple Union shops to choose from. Being a Union member you are entitled to Unemployment benefits to supplement your income throughout rainy months.

Medical starts after your first 500 hours.

Yes. We work very closely with Roofers Local 153, the Tacoma/Pierce County Union for Roofers. You can learn more about the Union HERE.

They pay as they go. Money collected is not refunded for not finishing the program.

Two ways. They can apply to the Apprenticeship Program and we can dispatch them to a contractor or if they choose to, they can go to the contractor(s) themselves, apply with them, and then come sign up with the Apprenticeship Office.

The State of Washington requires that our roofing apprentices work at least 5,000 hours on the job and in a real-world situation. Apprentices must also attend the required 490 hours of classroom instruction. Upon completion of hours and schooling, The Pierce County Roofers Joint Apprenticeship Committee will review your progress and either advance to Journey level or recommend additional training. At the completion of the program, one receives their Journeyman’s card issued by Washington State and a completion certificate issued by Clover Park Technical College. It should take 3-5 years years to complete the program. After completing the program, the graduate would continue honing their skills.

Between the months of mid-April and October, they should expect to work 40-60 hours a week. Between October and April anywhere between 20-35 hours a week.

You will need boots, gloves, safety glasses, high-visibility clothing, and a hard hat.

Tool pouch, claw hammer, nail bar, tape measure, chalk line, insulation saw, and screwdrivers.

You will be required to keep track of your hours and send in a Monthly Progress Report each month no later than the 5th of the month. You can learn more and download a copy of a Progress Report HERE.

You may request to put your apprenticeship on suspension (hold) and return when able to perform the required tasks.

If you move or get a new phone number you will need to fill out one of our Change of Address forms ASAP. We need to be able to contact you and send you mail, flyers, notices, etc., in a timely manner. You can download a Change of Address HERE.

Depending on where they move, we can transfer all their information to the apprenticeship program they will be moving to. The new program will place them according to their experience and time in apprenticeship.

An apprentice can call the area where they will be moving to see where the closest local union office is as well as the apprenticeship training center. Then a transfer slip is sent as well as a transcript of courses taken. The office and program to where they move will insert them at the corresponding level. They do not lose their status.

About 8%. We are looking for more women to join our Trade. Learn more!

Many! Currently, we have women foremen, safety directors, and maintenance/repair supervisors. Male or female, you just need to be involved and present. Make sure to come to class and work to learn the trade.