Apprenticeship Programs with the
Union Building Trades

NOTICE: 27,500 new job opportunities are available from now through 2008!

That's a headline that should generate some interest for students like you who are completing their high school education. And if you read the headline for this article, you shouldn't be surprised that the job opportunities are in the Building Trades (construction). That statistic is taken from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and should be considered by all graduates (yes, even those academic students).

Employment opportunities will hold steady or grow slightly due, in large part, to the aging of the trade workers in the current job market. Since the late 1980's, the share of the construction workforce over 40 years of age has risen from just under 33% to nearly 50%. The expected retirement of many of these experienced workers creates employment opportunities for those entering the job market. An excellent way for new job seekers to get in on the ground floor of career employment is to successfully apply, test (if applicable), and enter one of the fifteen Union Building Trade Apprenticeship Programs in the Greater Pittsburgh area. They are as follows:

• International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC)

• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers (Boilermakers)

• United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers (Roofers)

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

• International Union of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers (Asbestos Workers)

• International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)

• Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA)

• Sheet Metal Workers' International Association (SMWIA)

• Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association of the United States and Canada (OP & CMI)

• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (United Association or UA)

• International Union of Elevator Constructors (Elevators)

• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)

• International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters)

• United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA)

For a first-hand look at 23 apprenticeships administered by many of these International Unions, visit the Builders' Guild website. At this website, brief job descriptions of the various trades are given as well as contact information for the different program administrators. Links to more "trade specific" sites are also available.

Union Building Trades Apprenticeship programs vary by craft, but some general conditions exist. The length of the apprenticeship programs ranges from two to five years, with most being 4 years long. These programs usually combine structured, craft related classroom instruction (144 hours/year minimum) with on-the-job training under the supervision of an experienced, journey level worker.

When participating in a Union Building Trades Apprenticeship, the apprentice earns real wages with benefits, not part-time wages without benefits. The starting hourly wage rate for an apprentice is based on a percentage of the journeyman hourly rate (usually in the 50% range), with regular raises every 6 or 12 months (depending on the craft), provided training requirements are met and the necessary work hours accumulated. Journeyman wages roughly range between $18.00/hr. and $29.00/hr. plus benefits (depending on the particular craft). When the benefit package is factored into the formula, the level of compensation rises to a range of $25.00 - $40.00/hour. Items included in the benefit package are health care for the worker and the worker's family, a secure pension plan, and, in many cases, a tax-deferred savings plan.

One might ask, "Do all construction workers enjoy this level of compensation?" The short answer is no, they do not. Only those workers who are skilled, trained, educated, and efficient can command the levels of compensation stated above. It is for this reason that the best opportunity for success in a construction career should begin with a Union Building Trades Apprenticeship program.

High school classes that would be beneficial to an applicant are Algebra I, Geometry, Drafting, Industrial Arts (shop class), and Career and Technical Center (Vo-Tech) programs. Personal qualities that are desirable include dependability, honesty, trustworthiness, reliability, and the ability to communicate well with others.

All programs require a non-refundable application fee, which is generally $20.00 - $25.00. Many programs administer an entrance test, which is used to rank applicants for the selection process. Regardless, strong math skills are helpful to the applicant's success. Additional general requirements include that you:

• Be of legal working age

• Be a high school graduate or
  possess a G.E.D.

• Have a valid driver's license

• Have suitable personal
  transportation

• Be physically capable of
  performing the work

• Have good hand-eye coordination

• Be drug-free.

A driver's license and suitable personal transportation are necessary because job locations can vary day-to-day and even hour-to-hour and are not all on public transportation lines. A worker must be able to get to the jobsites on time, every day. Why be drug free? Number one, it's the law. Secondly, worksites can be dangerous enough without impairment due to drug abuse. Lastly, property owners and contractors along with the Union Building Trades maintain a zero tolerance for drug abuse among the workforce.

Opportunities for advancement are abundant in the Union Building Trades. Through the use of up-to-date technology and the most current equipment and materials, a worker continues to learn about the craft. This continuing education and training makes the skilled worker competitive and productive. Many programs offer college credit for their apprenticeship training and will fund some post-apprenticeship college courses, allowing the member to receive an associate degree from an affiliated institute of higher education.

All of this is provided with no tuition costs to the apprentice. Funding is provided by a joint apprenticeship and training fund administered by a committee jointly comprised of union and management representatives.

If you want to "learn while you earn" (earn real wages and receive real training), check out the state and federally approved Union Building Trades Apprenticeship Programs. Select those that interest you, and then contact them to find out specific information on their enrollment procedures.

Editorial provided by Lee Libert, Assistant Training Director from The Carpenters' Regional of Greater Pennsylvania.