roofer.

A roofer is an incredibly versatile profession. Your responsibilities include, among other things: 

•  Prepare and plan: Before you, as a roofer, start your actual work, you review the plans, inspect the roof, and take measurements. Afterwards, you select the most suitable materials, calculate the required quantities, and organise the individual work steps.
• Setting up the construction site: You transport the necessary materials to the site. If needed, you install ladders and construction lifts, and secure the site.
• Creating a roof underlay: As a roofer, you're not only responsible for covering the roof with tiles or slates, but also for installing the underlay. This ensures that, in the event of damage to the roof covering, water doesn't seep into the screed.
• Installing thermal insulation and vapour barriers: To prevent heat from escaping through the attic, you install insulation boards made of wood, stone, glass wool, or polystyrene. Additionally, you typically fit a vapour barrier, which is a foil that stops water vapour from penetrating the insulation and condensing there.
• Roof covering: You cut roof tiles, fibre cement or natural stone slabs, and lay them regularly on the roof. Installing metal roofs is also part of your responsibilities.
• Roof renovation: You clean roofs, seal cracks, and replace damaged tiles or slates. Roof refurbishment also includes re-covering roofs and adding insulation afterwards.
• Installing solar panels: As a roofer, you are responsible for the proper installation of on-roof and in-roof solar systems. This includes both solar panels for electricity generation and solar collectors for water heating.
•  Performing various installation tasks: As a roofer, you install roof windows and set up snow guards and lightning protection systems.
• Advising clients: Depending on the job and your position within the team, as a roofer you will have contact with customers. You will advise clients regarding the execution of the work and the selection of materials to be used. Additionally, you will prepare quotes and conduct site inspections with the property owners.

who are your colleagues?

You're not alone on the roof. You work with other roofers as part of a team. Additionally, you'll come into contact with other construction professionals. These include, in particular, tinsmiths, waterproofers, and carpenters. Tinsmiths install, among other things, gutters and window frames for roof windows. waterproofers are responsible for insulating flat roofs, and carpenters build the roof structure. If you're installing photovoltaic systems, you'll also rely on electricians to connect the solar panels to the electricity grid.

As a roofer, you're typically a generalist. You usually work for a company that offers a range of roofing and metalwork services. However, certain specialisations are possible. For example, you can specialise in the following areas:

• repair and Maintenance
• roofing works for industrial and commercial buildings
• work on historic and listed buildings
• roof covering with specific materials such as metal, natural stone, or straw 

Despite specialising, you will very likely also carry out jobs in other areas of the roofing trade.

how much do I earn as a roofer in a permanent position?

As a roofer, you are covered by the collective employment agreement (CEA) of the Swiss building envelope industry. This sets legally binding minimum wages. After completing your apprenticeship, you will earn at least 4,500 Swiss francs per month. With the 13 monthly payments, that amounts to 58,500 Swiss francs annually. During the first five years of your career, the minimum wage increases by four percent each year. That means, after five years in the profession, you will be earning at least 71,000 Swiss francs per year. 

Your income is somewhat lower if you have completed an apprenticeship as a roofing practitioner. In this case, the minimum wage, depending on your level of experience, ranges between 54,000 and 64,000 Swiss francs per year. The minimum wages are based on an annual working time of 2,184 hours, which averages out to about 42 hours per week. The maximum weekly working hours are 50. Overtime is generally compensated with time off. If this isn't possible, you will receive a 25 per cent overtime premium. You also receive additional pay for weekend work.

vocational training as a roofer.

The path to a roofing job typically involves a three-year apprenticeship. During your apprenticeship, you work in a roofing company. At the same time, you attend block courses at one of the two vocational colleges specialising in construction trades. In the first year of your apprenticeship, you receive the same training as aspiring waterproofers, façade builders, scaffolders, and shutter installers. This makes it easier for you to switch to one of these professions later on. The apprenticeship concludes with the Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ) as a roofer. 
Additionally, there is a recognised diploma apprenticeship as a roofing practician. This lasts two years and qualifies you to carry out basic roofing tasks. After passing the diploma apprenticeship, you have the option to undertake a shortened two-year training programme to become a roofer.

what further training opportunities are available to me as a roofer?

As a roofer, you have various opportunities for further training. With an additional one-year apprenticeship, you can become a waterproofing specialist, façade constructor, or scaffolder. Specialising as a sheet metal worker or sunblind installer requires a two-year additional apprenticeship. Beyond that, you can also obtain the Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence as a Building Envelope Construction Supervisor, Building Energy Consultant, or Project Manager for Solar Installation. The next level in your training pathway is the master craftsman examination or the Higher Technical Examination as a Construction Manager. It is also possible to pursue further education as a Construction Management Technician at a Higher Technical School. If you have a vocational baccalaureate, you can study Civil Engineering with a focus on Building Envelope at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

The Swiss population grows by about the size of a medium-sized town every year. As a result, we regularly need new residential and commercial buildings. To meet our climate targets, we also need to improve the insulation of existing houses. This means a lot of work for the building envelope industry. Additionally, roofers are installing solar panels, which is particularly important given the energy transition. Especially in urban areas, you won’t have any trouble finding a job as a roofer. You’re in high demand if you already have experience with installing solar panels and solar thermal systems or have further training in this field.

The shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry and the high demand for roofers are having a positive impact on career changers. This means that you can become a roofer even without a formal apprenticeship qualification. Your best chances of securing a roofing position are if you come from a related job, such as waterproofing, façade construction, sheet metal work, or scaffolding. Other experience in construction is also a good foundation. The Polybau Vocational School offers various specialised courses that enable you to acquire the necessary skills as a roofer in a short period of time.

The roofing job offers you a wide range of development opportunities. For example, you could become a team leader or site manager. As a team leader, you would oversee a group of roofers. Meanwhile, as a site manager on a construction project, you would be responsible for managing all work related to the building envelope. There are certificate courses available at the Polybau Vocational School for both roles. Additionally, you can take the master craftsman exam and train apprentices. Another potential career step is working as a construction supervisor, an energy consultant, or a project manager for solar projects. Last but not least, you also have the option to set up your own business and start or take over a roofing company.

As a roofer, you mainly need the following skills and competencies:

• Vertigo tolerance: You mostly work at great heights without any safety harness. Therefore, you need to be free from dizziness and sure-footed.
• Fitness: The profession of roofer is physically demanding. Good fitness is therefore a fundamental requirement for this job.
• Craftsmanship: To avoid damage to the roof or building, you need to be skilled and able to work precisely.
• Spatial imagination: You need to be able to read blueprints and visualise what the finished result will look like.
• Technical understanding: You work with machines and tools. Therefore, you need to have a technical aptitude.

There are many good reasons to work as a roofer at Randstad:
✓ exciting jobs with well-known companies
✓ a reliable point of contact whenever you need one; personalised advice matters
✓ attractive employment conditions and good social benefits
✓ further education courses and personal development opportunities
✓ clear information in the myRandstad app
✓ do you have a fixed-term contract? Often, there’s the opportunity to secure a permanent position afterwards. Many well-known companies also recruit their staff directly through Randstad.

your training budget as a roofer with randstad.

If you work as a roofer for Randstad, you have access to further training courses. As part of the TempTraining programme from swissstaffing, you can attend training sessions. You will get the course fees reimbursed later, provided you pass the course exam. Your consultant from Randstad is there to support you if you have any questions. This way, you can also acquire additional language skills or job-specific knowledge. And all of this is during your working hours as a roofer.

Have you found your dream job as a roofer? It’s not just qualifications and certificates that determine the success of your applications. Careful, error-free, and personalised documents will definitely help you in your job search. Here are a few useful tips to optimise your chances:

Here you will find frequently asked questions about the roofing job.