candidates that apply. That means we attract a diverse group of people that live in and around the Metro Detroit area. “With the help of our International Training Institute and our local union and industry partners, our training continues to evolve with the latest technologies in the construction industry,” O’Rourke says. Dayton, Ohio Local 24 and Dayton JATC Local 24 Dayton Area Training Director Eugene Frazier hosted and attended a number of events during NAW to highlight the benefits of apprenticeship. From career adventure days to welding programs, Frazier actively engaged with the community during the week. “I would say we saw close to 1,800 students, and the response was fantastic,” Frazier says. “We were getting in front of a diverse group and educating them about what a career in sheet metal looks like.” Local 24 Dayton Area JATC has been promoting apprenticeships since 1945, and Frazier has been leading the initiative since 2008. “For years I heard the sheet metal industry is the best kept secret, but that’s no excuse. I am all about marketing and understand that you have to get the news out there. The sector is in need of skilled workers, and the only way we can do that and diversify our sector is to spread the word. NAW is great in that we get national recognition, but for us it’s an ongoing recruitment effort.” As a result, Frazier has seen the average age of a first apprenticeship drop from 27 to 23, and the apprenticeship program has a more diverse group of apprentices now than at any other time in the history of the Local. “These are high-paying careers that do not require a fouryear degree,” Frazier says. “The majority of our apprentices leave the program with a job earning over $28 an hour with zero debt and paid benefits.” Cleveland, Ohio Local 33, SMACNA Cleveland, and Cleveland JATC Local 33 and SMACNA Cleveland held an ASHRAE event at the Cleveland JATC facility to celebrate wrapping up NAW. The event included more than 125 MEP engineers, vendors, reps, and contractors. “All union management and representation attended, including JATC instructors and union sheet metal workers who assisted in the event at the live stations,” says Thomas E. Martin, president at T.H. Martin, Inc. “The event co-mingled with the NAP week initiatives. It was a great networking opportunity showcasing our JATC and demonstrating the local Labor Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) initiatives. It’s a true partnership.” Also during the week, the Cleveland Building Trades celebrated with students in pre-apprenticeship programs at an event held at the Local 33 union hall and training center.
Students from Max Hayes Vocational High School, Cuyahoga Community College, and the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center met with members of various trades, toured Local 33’s Training Center, and listened to several individuals speak—including Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. ▪ Natalie is an award-winning writer who has worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Canada. She has more than 23 years experience as a journalist, editor, and brand builder, specializing in construction and transportation. When she’s not writing, you will likely find her snowboarding, mountain biking, or climbing mountains with her rescue dog.
APPRENTICESHIP FAST FACTS • More than 583,000 new apprentices have joined the industry since 2017. • 94% of those apprentices will retain employment. • Upon completion of their apprenticeship, the now-trained workers will earn an average annual salary of $70,000. • More than 600 events were scheduled for National Apprentice Week across the country to educate students and showcase apprenticeship opportunities and potential future career paths.
CAREER LINKS • ITI’s A Job or a Career? - sheetmetal-iti.org/career-ladder • Career Paths - sheetmetal-iti.org/career-paths • Jobs of the Future (for grades 6-8) - scholastic.com/ jobsofthefuture/ • Construction Apprenticeship: The Other Four Year Degree partners.aflcio.org/system/files/2_bctd-appren-four-yrdegree-2015.pdf
Partners in Progress » November 2019 » 7