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Roofer

Skilled Trades

Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, or related materials. May spray roofs, sidings, and walls with material to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Architecture & Built Environment

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures.
  2. 2Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials.
  3. 3Set up scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs.
  4. 4Estimate materials and labor required to complete roofing jobs.
  5. 5Cement or nail flashing strips of metal or shingle over joints to make them watertight.
  6. 6Install partially overlapping layers of material over roof insulation surfaces, using chalk lines, gauges on shingling hatchets, or lines on shingles.
  7. 7Cut felt, shingles, or strips of flashing to fit angles formed by walls, vents, or intersecting roof surfaces.
  8. 8Apply plastic coatings, membranes, fiberglass, or felt over sloped roofs before applying shingles.
  9. 9Install, repair, or replace single-ply roofing systems, using waterproof sheet materials such as modified plastics, elastomeric, or other asphaltic compositions.
  10. 10Cover roofs or exterior walls of structures with slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, gravel, gypsum, or related materials, using brushes, knives, punches, hammers, or other tools.
  11. 11Waterproof or damp-proof walls, floors, roofs, foundations, or basements by painting or spraying surfaces with waterproof coatings or by attaching waterproofing membranes to surfaces.
  12. 12Attach roofing paper to roofs in overlapping strips to form bases for other materials.
  13. 13Apply reflective roof coatings, such as special paints or single-ply roofing sheets, to existing roofs to reduce solar heat absorption.
  14. 14Install vapor barriers or layers of insulation on flat roofs.
  15. 15Apply alternate layers of hot asphalt or tar and roofing paper to roofs.
  16. 16Cover exposed nailheads with roofing cement or caulking to prevent water leakage or rust.
  17. 17Smooth rough spots to prepare surfaces for waterproofing, using hammers, chisels, or rubbing bricks.
  18. 18Glaze top layers to make a smooth finish or embed gravel in the bitumen for rough surfaces.
  19. 19Mop or pour hot asphalt or tar onto roof bases.
  20. 20Install attic ventilation systems, such as turbine vents, gable or ridge vents, or conventional or solar-powered exhaust fans.
  21. 21Install skylights on roofs to increase natural light inside structures or to reduce energy costs.
  22. 22Spray roofs, sidings, or walls to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures, using spray guns, air compressors, or heaters.
  23. 23Apply gravel or pebbles over top layers of roofs, using rakes or stiff-bristled brooms.
  24. 24Punch holes in slate, tile, terra cotta, or wooden shingles, using punches and hammers.
  25. 25Attach solar panels to existing roofs, according to specifications and without damaging roofing materials or the structural integrity of buildings.
  26. 26Apply modular soil- and plant-containing grids over existing roof membranes to create green roofs.
  27. 27Install layers of vegetation-based green roofs, including protective membranes, drainage, aeration, water retention and filter layers, soil substrates, irrigation materials, and plants.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Roofer
  • Slater
  • Roofers
  • Shingler
  • Installer
  • Tar Roofer
  • Tin Roofer
  • Tile Roofer
  • Metal Roofer
  • Metal Worker

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Civil Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Engineering DrawingDraws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Building and Construction92%

    Civil Engineering StudiesEngineering DrawingDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Customer and Personal Service70%
  • English Language67%

    English

  • Public Safety and Security66%
  • Education and Training64%
  • Mathematics64%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
  • Noisy environmentEvery day

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

0%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Electrician (Chargeman)

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Roofers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org