Great Opportunities in the Building Trades

Local building trade unions are looking for more than a few good men and women. As a result of a recent boom in the construction industry, many of the area’s building trades, including carpenters, iron workers, steamfitters and others, are looking for new ways to recruit men and women into any one of their more than 20 different skilled professions.

A career in the building trades can be particularly rewarding. With some of the nation’s finest training facilities right here in Western Pennsylvania, the building trades are able to provide a quality education at virtually no cost for men and women who have the desire and ability to become a skilled craftsperson. It is a career that includes good wages along with excellent health care and retirement benefits.

“We are looking for young men and women who want to learn or improve their skills in a particular trade, whether it be as an iron worker, plumber, carpenter or general laborer,” said Jason Fincke, executive director of the Builders Guild of Western Pennsylvania, which represents local building trade unions and contractor associations. “The combination of available work and an aging workforce is creating a demand for men and women who are seeking alternatives to college and traditional white-collar jobs.”

“It’s a great time to join one of the local building trade unions and become skilled in a profession that can be highly rewarding and challenging,” Mr. Fincke said. “Unlike colleges and universities, students who enroll in a local apprenticeship program offered by building trade unions earn wages while working for area contractors and receiving both on-the-job and classroom training.”

Depending on the particular trade, apprenticeship training normally takes from approximately three to five years to complete. During that time, apprentices receive wage increases as they proceed through the program. Most programs include computer-based training and all of the building trades offer refresher training throughout a worker’s career and membership in the union.

“Most people do not realize the amount and level of training that is provided by the building trades,” Mr. Fincke said. “Located throughout Western Pennsylvania, these training centers utilize state-of-the-art equipment and in many cases simulate working conditions in a controlled environment. They are funded without any public dollars, making them great resources and assets to our region.”

A recent study by the Construction Industry Institute® has confirmed what building trade unions and their affiliated contractors across the country have espoused for years—that investments in bona fide training programs as commonly provided by building trade unions reap significant benefits for workers and contractors, including significantly reduced project costs and a more productive work force.

In Western Pennsylvania, local union apprenticeship programs invest more than $20 million annually in training, and offer well structured apprenticeship programs that are relied upon to maintain a productive pool of highly skilled and qualified workers. The opportunity to be gainfully employed in the construction industry is particularly promising at this time, and is expected to remain strong. 

According to the United States Government Accountability Office, between 2002 and 2012 approximately 850,000 jobs in the construction industry will open up across the country, many of which will be needed in Western Pennsylvania.

Apprentice schools are looking for people who are eager to learn and be committed to their trade. Applicants should have good attendance records and a willingness to be part of a winning team. They must generally be 18 years of age, possess a high school diploma or GED, have a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license and be drug free.

“It takes extensive training and a firm commitment to become a skilled professional in the building trades,” Mr. Fincke said. “Not everyone is cut out for the demands of the job. It takes stamina and a willingness to work under differing conditions.

“The job, however, can serve people well throughout their life. Unlike many professions which are being outsourced overseas, a building trade skill will always be needed and in demand.”

Article provided by the Builder’s Guild, Pittsburgh, PA, www.buildersguild.org.