At Tectum Group we employ about 150 roofers, spread over the various locations in Belgium. We are consistently working on expanding our team of in-house roofers, which has been a major challenge for many years. Because what the SERV report now confirms in black and white, we have known for a long time: the influx from the education sector has dried up.
Moreover, the job market provides little relief: while workers with some construction experience can still be found, they often lack the motivation for the roofing profession. Because being a roofer requires know-how!
That's why we have created our own solution: Tectum University, our in-house University of the Roof. We seek out profiles with the right motivation for the roofing profession and then provide them with comprehensive technical knowledge from scratch.
CEO Rudy Evens explains: "Tectum Group stands for quality, and if you want to deliver quality, you need roofers who put their heart and soul into their work, who love the roofing profession. It is so fundamental that you just love doing this job".
Patrick Vanderstichelen has 35 years of experience within the Tectum Group. He started as a young roofer and became a manager. Today, he works full time on the technical training of roofers. Patrick says with a laugh, "You work outdoors all day, and you have a great view from the roof. But most of all, you are physically working all day to create something, to build something. And when the work is done, you are really proud of your work, together with your friends, your colleagues. Because there's a lot of camaraderie on the roof. It is also a job with a lot of variety, and you are always learning, because there are new products and new ways of working all the time.
Chris Venken from Tectum University adds: "So this is also the profile of people we are looking for: enjoying working outdoors, wanting to do varied and physical work, creating something together with others that you can be proud of".
Tectum Group seeks out these profiles itself. This is partly achieved through an ambassador campaign on social media. Chris explains: "No one can testify better about the roofing profession than our own roofers. They share stories about working as a roofer on their own social media channels and networks."
We also use unconventional recruitment methods, such as organizing information sessions in asylum centers. This approach requires a lot of creativity and perseverance, as recruits come in dribs and drabs. It represents a substantial investment for Tectum Group. Chris concludes, "Last year we successfully recruited 10 new roofers through the efforts of the Tectum University."
If we can attract good profiles then of course we want to start training them right away. This is why we foresee a two-track approach.
We do the first track in cooperation with the VDAB. Twice a year, we try to bring together a small group of job seekers in a training course that the VDAB provides for us at its training center in Hamme. The trainees receive 5 weeks of training at the training center and then do a 2-week internship at one of our shipyards. If they are successful, Tectum Group gives them a permanent contract. Thus, from a group of 6 people who followed this course in the fall of 2022, 5 people started at Tectum Group. All with a permanent contract. They are now being further trained by our foremen/mentors, under the supervision of Patrick Vanderstichelen.
The second track is the drip approach. When our HR colleague Raf has found a suitable profile who cannot fit into the VDAB group, we go to work in a 1-to-1 approach. Because it is not always possible to train people in groups. After all, our branches are spread all over Belgium, just like the candidate roofers. And profiles don't wait either, it's a matter of reacting quickly.
Patrick explains, "We don't let these new people start on the roof right away, because that would take too much time from the foremen. I have a 3-week program where I personally take them under my wing. I will certainly teach some theory and practice already then, but really it's mostly about screening these people. Do they show up on time? Do they have the interest, the commitment? I then teach them flame welding on a scale model, for example."
Those who successfully complete the first 3 weeks then begin in the real workplace: on the roof.
As Tectum Group , it requires a huge investment to find profiles and train people from scratch. In addition, all entry-level trainees receive a permanent contract from day 1.
Raf Jacobs, talent finder of Tectum Group: "We want to find people who want to commit to our company for a long time. Who really see their career as a roofer, who want to grow in it. As a company, we think long-term ourselves. We invest very intensively in the first weeks and months, to turn these people into real Tectummers."
You work outdoors all day, enjoying a great view from the roof. But most importantly, you are engaged in physical work all day long, creating something meaningful. When the job is done, you are really proud of your work, together with your friends, your colleagues.
At Tectum Group we employ about 150 roofers, spread over the various locations in Belgium. We are consistently working on expanding our team of in-house roofers, which has been a major challenge for many years. Because what the SERV report now confirms in black and white, we have known for a long time: the influx from the education sector has dried up.
Moreover, the job market provides little relief: while workers with some construction experience can still be found, they often lack the motivation for the roofing profession. Because being a roofer requires know-how!
That's why we have created our own solution: Tectum University, our in-house University of the Roof. We seek out profiles with the right motivation for the roofing profession and then provide them with comprehensive technical knowledge from scratch.
CEO Rudy Evens explains: "Tectum Group stands for quality, and if you want to deliver quality, you need roofers who put their heart and soul into their work, who love the roofing profession. It is so fundamental that you just love doing this job".
Patrick Vanderstichelen has 35 years of experience within the Tectum Group. He started as a young roofer and became a manager. Today, he works full time on the technical training of roofers. Patrick says with a laugh, "You work outdoors all day, and you have a great view from the roof. But most of all, you are physically working all day to create something, to build something. And when the work is done, you are really proud of your work, together with your friends, your colleagues. Because there's a lot of camaraderie on the roof. It is also a job with a lot of variety, and you are always learning, because there are new products and new ways of working all the time.
Chris Venken from Tectum University adds: "So this is also the profile of people we are looking for: enjoying working outdoors, wanting to do varied and physical work, creating something together with others that you can be proud of".
Tectum Group seeks out these profiles itself. This is partly achieved through an ambassador campaign on social media. Chris explains: "No one can testify better about the roofing profession than our own roofers. They share stories about working as a roofer on their own social media channels and networks."
We also use unconventional recruitment methods, such as organizing information sessions in asylum centers. This approach requires a lot of creativity and perseverance, as recruits come in dribs and drabs. It represents a substantial investment for Tectum Group. Chris concludes, "Last year we successfully recruited 10 new roofers through the efforts of the Tectum University."
If we can attract good profiles then of course we want to start training them right away. This is why we foresee a two-track approach.
We do the first track in cooperation with the VDAB. Twice a year, we try to bring together a small group of job seekers in a training course that the VDAB provides for us at its training center in Hamme. The trainees receive 5 weeks of training at the training center and then do a 2-week internship at one of our shipyards. If they are successful, Tectum Group gives them a permanent contract. Thus, from a group of 6 people who followed this course in the fall of 2022, 5 people started at Tectum Group. All with a permanent contract. They are now being further trained by our foremen/mentors, under the supervision of Patrick Vanderstichelen.
The second track is the drip approach. When our HR colleague Raf has found a suitable profile who cannot fit into the VDAB group, we go to work in a 1-to-1 approach. Because it is not always possible to train people in groups. After all, our branches are spread all over Belgium, just like the candidate roofers. And profiles don't wait either, it's a matter of reacting quickly.
Patrick explains, "We don't let these new people start on the roof right away, because that would take too much time from the foremen. I have a 3-week program where I personally take them under my wing. I will certainly teach some theory and practice already then, but really it's mostly about screening these people. Do they show up on time? Do they have the interest, the commitment? I then teach them flame welding on a scale model, for example."
Those who successfully complete the first 3 weeks then begin in the real workplace: on the roof.
As Tectum Group , it requires a huge investment to find profiles and train people from scratch. In addition, all entry-level trainees receive a permanent contract from day 1.
Raf Jacobs, talent finder of Tectum Group: "We want to find people who want to commit to our company for a long time. Who really see their career as a roofer, who want to grow in it. As a company, we think long-term ourselves. We invest very intensively in the first weeks and months, to turn these people into real Tectummers."
At Tectum Group we employ about 150 roofers, spread over the various locations in Belgium. We are consistently working on expanding our team of in-house roofers, which has been a major challenge for many years. Because what the SERV report now confirms in black and white, we have known for a long time: the influx from the education sector has dried up.
Moreover, the job market provides little relief: while workers with some construction experience can still be found, they often lack the motivation for the roofing profession. Because being a roofer requires know-how!
That's why we have created our own solution: Tectum University, our in-house University of the Roof. We seek out profiles with the right motivation for the roofing profession and then provide them with comprehensive technical knowledge from scratch.
CEO Rudy Evens explains: "Tectum Group stands for quality, and if you want to deliver quality, you need roofers who put their heart and soul into their work, who love the roofing profession. It is so fundamental that you just love doing this job".
Patrick Vanderstichelen has 35 years of experience within the Tectum Group. He started as a young roofer and became a manager. Today, he works full time on the technical training of roofers. Patrick says with a laugh, "You work outdoors all day, and you have a great view from the roof. But most of all, you are physically working all day to create something, to build something. And when the work is done, you are really proud of your work, together with your friends, your colleagues. Because there's a lot of camaraderie on the roof. It is also a job with a lot of variety, and you are always learning, because there are new products and new ways of working all the time.
Chris Venken from Tectum University adds: "So this is also the profile of people we are looking for: enjoying working outdoors, wanting to do varied and physical work, creating something together with others that you can be proud of".
Tectum Group seeks out these profiles itself. This is partly achieved through an ambassador campaign on social media. Chris explains: "No one can testify better about the roofing profession than our own roofers. They share stories about working as a roofer on their own social media channels and networks."
We also use unconventional recruitment methods, such as organizing information sessions in asylum centers. This approach requires a lot of creativity and perseverance, as recruits come in dribs and drabs. It represents a substantial investment for Tectum Group. Chris concludes, "Last year we successfully recruited 10 new roofers through the efforts of the Tectum University."
You work outdoors all day, enjoying a great view from the roof. But most importantly, you are engaged in physical work all day long, creating something meaningful. When the job is done, you are really proud of your work, together with your friends, your colleagues.
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