Leonie Adams, Training and Development Manager of The Roofing Academy, remains extremely proud of the many successful careers in the roofing and waterproofing industry that she has helped to launch over the years. Notably, many of these talented and passionate professionals are women who are also determined to make their mark in an industry that continues to transform.

“It is always encouraging to learn that there are more women who also want to grow and develop careers in the roofing and waterproofing contracting sector. There are many women working in various sub-sectors of the roofing and waterproofing value chain. They work for successful property owners and developers; architects and engineers; principal contracting companies; and suppliers and manufacturers of materials, tools and equipment. However, the roofing and waterproofing contracting industry has taken longer to attract more women to the profession. This is considering a few minor logistical challenges that make it more difficult for women to work in the field. Enterprising contractors continue to find novel ways of overcoming these because they are committed to developing a more inclusive industry, and we see this by the number of women who are being enrolled for training at The Roofing Academy,” Adams says.

Adams hopes to inspire more women to pursue careers in the construction industry and particularly roofing and waterproofing.

She acquired her passion for construction and education from her mother and father, an early childhood development practitioner and professional welder, respectively. This is where she also gained her strong work ethic. Her father, for example, lived by the mantra that “if you wanted to live like a king, you needed to be willing to work very hard”. 

She has kept this advice near to her heart throughout her career. This has helped her to grow and develop quicky as a professional. It was her hard work and dedication recently that earned her a promotion from Training Manager of The Roofing Academy to Director of JBC Roof Cover. JBC Roof Cover is one of the country’s leading roofing and waterproofing contractors that launched The Roofing Academy to uplift skills in the industry.

Adams was approached by the then fledgling The Roofing Academy to join the team of training facilitators based on her previous experience providing training on another building-related trade. The lure for her was the opportunity to be part of a revolutionary training initiative that would help to formalise and professionalise the roof repair and waterproofing industry. Certainly, her involvement in developing the first and currently the only national qualification in waterproofing at a National Qualifications Framework level still stands out as a major career highlight. This is especially considering the very favourable response that the

Construction Education and Training Authority-accredited training has received from new and existing roof repair contractors. Meanwhile, The Roofing Academy is also helping many experienced employees complete the recognition of prior learning process to obtain a nationally recognised qualification in waterproofing.

“Finally, roof repair and waterproofing are being recognised as a building trade that people need to learn to work in the field, and I am very proud of the fact that I played a part in this. Companies with employees who hold a qualification in waterproofing will be in ‘pole position’ when the minimum quality standards are introduced to the industry,” Adams says.

She concludes by noting that her roots are firmly planted in the construction industry and that The Roofing Academy is looking forward to receiving more employees, including industrious women who want to work in a specialised field. “There is a high a demand for competent ‘roofers’ and qualifications in the field show that you are up to the task at hand.”