Transcona Roofing invests in skilled crews and prioritizes all relevant training and development opportunities to help them succeed.Supplied
It was the knees that went first.
“You don’t appreciate your knees until you lose them,” says Perry French, a field supervisor for Transcona Roofing Ltd., a full-service commercial roofing and waterproofing contractor in Winnipeg. “Roofing is hard on the body and my body was starting to let me down.”
Rather than view this as a performance issue, the company set about reviewing French’s strengths to find him another position that he could transition into, leveraging his field experience and people-friendly abilities.
“Because I started at the bottom, I knew all the roof systems intimately, which really set me up for a service and maintenance inspector role,” says French, 58. “I know what to look for when inspecting someone’s roof, whether it be a fault, something due to age, or improper installation. I have the ability to discover those things where a lot of people might not have that mindset.”
Training, including computer skills, service and maintenance estimating, and a Dale Carnegie professional development course, helped French evolve from a self-described “rough around the edges” foreman into the customer‑facing problem solver he has become — a role he relishes and finds very satisfying.
President Rich Marchetti says the return has been significant: improved customer relationships, stronger service planning, and a role that energizes French rather than drains him.
“This experience reinforced for us that when companies intentionally match roles to strengths — especially later in an employee’s career — they don’t just retain talent,” says Marchetti. “They unlock a new level of contribution.”
Office manager Nikki Jurkowski says Transcona Roofing invests “above and beyond” in career development, including external education courses, CliftonStrengths talent assessment, and the company’s own internal TR University.
Hired nine years ago as a receptionist, Jurkowski herself is an example of how the company helped turn an entry‑level job into a long‑term career, supporting her with formal human resources training at Red River College Polytechnic. Today Jurkowski not only manages day‑to‑day operations but helps other employees map out their own growth paths.
“From day one, new hires are told they can build a real career, not just have a job,” says Jurkowski. “For instance, when an employee wants to become a foreman, we tell them, ‘These are the steps you need to take,’ and then we help them get there.
“If someone isn’t clicking with their current role, they can pivot to a better fit, with the company providing training and tools to help them reach their goals. We give them everything they need to get to the end goal that they set for themselves.”
Mentoring is a big part of that career journey as well. Just as French has been mentored by Marchetti and past supervisors, he now mentors newer workers, including hires from a social enterprise that supports people coming out of prison.
“I was fortunate enough to have the right people around me to teach me,” says French. “I’ve passed that along myself as their mentor to several foremen, giving them the base fundamentals and encouraging them not to give up when it gets tough. Once you learn your skill set, this is a job you can have for life.
“We’re a certain breed, and you just adapt to what you need to do. Knowing you have the backing of a company that invests in you makes it easier.”
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Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.