Jobs, Training & Career · Surprise rank #338
Want Construction Experience? NYC CoolRoofs Offers 10 Weeks of Paid Training at $17 an Hour
NYC CoolRoofs’ workforce program gives eligible New Yorkers paid, hands-on industrial/construction training while coating roofs to reduce heat.
Who
Eligible New York City residents age 18+ who are authorized to work, meet the program’s income/employment criteria and can meet the schedule and physical requirements.
Where: New York City
What to do
Start here: Use NYC Small Business Services’ Industrial Training page to check the current CoolRoofs recruitment cycle and application instructions.
Eligibility: Current SBS criteria include NYC residency, age 18+, work authorization and being unemployed or earning under the program’s stated annual threshold, along with schedule/physical requirements.
What you get
Participants complete about 10 weeks of full-time paid work and receive industry credentials such as OSHA 30/Site Safety Training and other safety certifications listed by NYC Small Business Services.
Benefit: Paid training starting at $17 per hour plus no-cost safety certifications and job-placement/career support.
Possible value: Roughly the wages earned during a 10-week full-time training period plus the value of included certifications; actual hours and total earnings depend on the cohort.
Good to know
Important: Older NYC pages still cite a $15 starting wage and 10–11 weeks; the current SBS Industrial Training page lists 10 weeks and a $17 starting wage. Cohorts are limited and not continuously enrolling.
Availability: Active training program; cohort recruitment is periodic.
Why people miss it: People may see CoolRoofs as an environmental program and miss that it also operates as paid workforce training.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026