An off-season bench is a list of people who have said they want to work for you: returning crew members, apprentices, students finishing pre-apprenticeship courses, and labourers who did a good season elsewhere. We build that list over the slow months and keep it warm, so that when the first dry week arrives you make calls instead of posting ads in a panic.
What this service is
Answer first: recruiting marketing that runs on the calendar instead of the emergency. Roofing in most of Canada is compressed into a hiring rush. Every company posts in the same few weeks, and the strongest roofers are spoken for early. The companies that hire calmly are the ones that started building relationships in the autumn.
The service has four parts:
- Keep your own people. A simple end-of-season message to every crew member worth bringing back, with a date to expect contact.
- Capture interest year-round. A "join the spring crew" page and a text keyword, so anyone who sees a truck or a jobsite sign can get on your list.
- Apprentice outreach. Materials for pre-apprenticeship programs, high-school trades classes and career fairs, with your hiring page as the destination.
- Warm-up messages. A few short updates through the winter to people who opted in.
Who it's for
Roofing companies that scramble every spring, lose good seasonal workers to other companies each year, or want to grow their own roofers through apprenticeship instead of competing for experienced people.
Apprentices are a long-term bet. Roofer is listed on the Red Seal trades list, and the Red Seal Program is administered by the provinces and territories, so apprenticeship rules and designation vary by region. Your region page links the official apprenticeship authority. We don't advise on apprenticeship registration or ratios; your provincial authority does.
What's included
- end-of-season retention messages for your current crew
- a bench page on your site with a call-or-text sign-up
- a printable handout and short clip for schools and training programs
- a simple list kept in a tool you own, with consent recorded
- three to five winter updates, written in your voice
- a "season opening" message timed to your area
Every message goes only to people who asked to hear from you, identifies your company and offers an easy way to stop. Canada's anti-spam rules are explained at the source in the CRTC's guidance.
Timeline
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Late autumn | Retention messages to the crew; bench page live |
| Winter | Outreach materials to schools and programs; warm-up messages |
| Late winter | Season-opening message; calls to the warmest names |
| Spring | Gaps filled with crew recruiting ads |
The exact timing depends on your region's weather. Our hiring season calendar breaks it down coast by coast.
How results are measured
- people on the bench by role (returning, apprentice, labourer, experienced)
- share of last season's crew who come back
- bench members who take a call when the season opens
- hires from the bench versus hires from paid ads
- cost per hire for each, which is usually far lower from the bench
Mistakes to avoid
- Saying goodbye in October and nothing until April. By then, your best seasonal people have committed elsewhere.
- Too many messages. A few useful updates beat a weekly blast. Over-messaging gets you blocked.
- Promises you can't keep. Don't promise spring start dates or hours you can't commit to.
- Treating apprentices as cheap labour. Word travels fast between pre-apprenticeship classmates. A good first season is your best recruiting ad.
- Skipping the exit question. Ask every seasonal worker who leaves in autumn whether they want a call in spring, and note the answer. It is the cheapest recruiting you will ever do.
- Keeping the list in someone's phone. If that person leaves, the bench leaves with them.
We are a marketing service, not a staffing agency or training provider. Compare plans or talk to us about starting your bench this autumn.
Frequently asked questions
Do you run an apprenticeship program?
No. Apprenticeship is run by each province or territory. We market your company to people who want to start or continue an apprenticeship, and each region page links the official apprenticeship authority.
How do you keep people interested over the winter?
With short, useful updates a few times over the off-season: a crew story, the start date, what to bring. Only to people who asked to hear from you, and every message lets them opt out.
Can you recruit from high schools or colleges?
We can prepare the materials and the outreach plan, such as a one-page handout, a short video and a landing page. The relationships with schools and training programs are yours, and we help you start and keep them.
Is roofing a Red Seal trade?
Roofer appears on the official Red Seal trades list. Whether it is designated in your province, and how apprenticeship works there, is set provincially, so check with your provincial apprenticeship authority.
Sources
- Red Seal Program: Red Seal trades list (2026-10-22)
- Red Seal Program (2026-10-22)
- CRTC: Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation FAQ (2026-10-22)