Getting Started in Insulation
No experience yet? Plenty of insulation companies will train the right person. Here is how to get your start.
What the work is like
Insulation crews work in new homes, older homes, and commercial buildings. The work is physical: attics, crawl spaces, ladders, heat, and cold. Most people start as a helper or laborer and learn on the job from an experienced installer. Some move up to installer, sprayer, crew lead, or estimator.
What companies look for in a new hire
- Showing up on time, every day.
- Willing to learn and follow safety rules, including wearing protective gear.
- Comfortable with physical work, heights, and tight spaces.
- A valid driver's license helps for many crews.
How to get started here
- Create your profile. Put 0 for years in insulation. Your profile then shows "New to insulation".
- Pick the positions you want to learn, like helper or installer, and where you can work.
- Look for "Entry level, will train". On the job search, tick that filter to see posts from companies open to training someone new.
- Turn on job alerts. New workers hear about entry level posts near them, in any position.
Join Free or see entry level jobs.
Training and certification
- Spray foam health and safety training (CPI): Online course for applicators and helpers. Pass the test and print a completion card.
- Spray foam safety training for Canada (CPI): The same course, made for Canada. English and French.
- SPFA spray foam certification: Industry certification. Start at Assistant, then work up to Installer and Master Installer.
- ICAA Gateway: spray foam helper training: Short online course for new helpers. Covers jobsite safety and foam basics. English and Spanish.
- Grade 1 insulation training (NAIMA and ICAA): Video course on installing fiberglass and mineral wool the right way.
- CUFCA spray foam training (Canada): Training and certification for spray foam installers in Canada.
- Huntsman spray foam applicator training: Manufacturer courses, with an entry-level Assistant class for new people.
- OSHA: insulation and sealing hazards: Attics, falls, fire, fiberglass, and cellulose dust. What to watch for on the job.
- OSHA: isocyanates: The chemical in spray foam that can cause asthma. How to protect yourself.
- CCOHS: choosing a respirator: Canadian guide to picking the right respirator for the job.