Partners in Progress Vol 13 No 11

PartnersINProgress SMACNA & SMART—Building a Future Together

November 2019

Working together to secure labor solutions

PartnersINProgress SMACNA & SMART—Building a Future Together

JOSEPH SELLERS, JR. ANGELA SIMON Co-Publishers KAARIN ENGELMANN editor@pinpmagazine.org Editor-in-Chief

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JESSICA KIRBY jkirby@pointonemedia.com Editor

Photo credit: xxx

CONTENTS

November 2019 - Volume 13, Number 11

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PARTNERSHIPS FORGE THE ROAD FORWARD

The first step to establishing where you are and where you want to be in your organization is getting ‘All in’ with Partners in Progress.

4 NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

JATCs across the United States celebrate the fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week with events engaging labor and management.

8 MC3 PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM Contractors, union members, and the building trades union

support collaboration through pre-apprenticeship program.

POINT ONE MEDIA INC. artdept@pointonemedia.com Creative Services

Partners in Progress is a publication of the Sheet Metal Industry LaborManagement Cooperation Fund.

All contents ©2019 by the Sheet Metal Industry Labor-Management Cooperation Fund, P.O. Box 221211, Chantilly, VA 20153-1211.

Find Partners in Progress online at pinp.org or at issuu.com/ partnersinprogress. An archive of all issues is available and printed copies may be ordered for a minimal fee.

For comments or questions, email editor@pinpmagazine.org.

12 SHEET METAL APPRENTICESHIPS AND COLLEGE DEGREES Local 29 and Butler Community College partner to ensure

students receive a college degree through JATC training.

S HE E T M E TA L | A I R | R A I L | T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

Labor-Management Partnerships Forge the Road Forward As we approach the end of 2019, it’s a good time to analyze where we are, where we want to be, and how we can get to that destination.

A great start is to go All In and register for the 2020 Partners in Progress Conference before the early bird deadline on December 13. Consider bringing along someone who has never attended or a future leader in your organization.

Sessions at the conference—Feb. 25-26, 2020, at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas—will cover all three of those topics but will specifically address the best practices that labor and management partnerships around North America are using ensure that the signatory sheet metal industry will thrive into the future.

Visit pinp.org/conferences/pinp20/ to register or for a preliminary look at the schedule. Sometimes we find that it is tempting to put off looking for solutions until the problem has grown so large that it completely blocks our route. (Don’t do that! Register for the conference!)

Recently I read about a study run by an Ohio-based accounting and financial advisory firm that indicates the largest threat to the construction industry is not a lack of work but a lack of workers. “The feeling among many contractors is that they will make as much money as the number of people they can hire will allow them to,” the study says.

SMART members, SMACNA contractors, and training centers across North America are working to stay ahead of the traffic jams as they embark on innovative workforce development programs that reach out into communities—and schools—to raise awareness and not only attract, but also to retain, top talent.

Less than a month ago, the fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week kicked off with a record-breaking number of events held across the country, with the highest number of participants yet. Find out how labor and management—and their affiliated training centers—in Montana, Michigan, and Ohio revved their engines and got moving to ensure contractors will have the craftspersons to perform available work and SMART members will have the hours to take care of their families. (See page 4.)

Another program experiencing phenomenal growth and success is the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) PreApprenticeship Training Program. Since it was established in 2007, thousands of students have successfully turned out into construction apprenticeship programs. Frank Cuneo, former training coordinator for Local 104 in California, was heavily involved in the project from the beginning. He believes it not only provides potential apprentices with the fundamental skills

© Can Stock Photo / mikdam for success, but also that it helps set proper expectations for the work, increasing long-term retention. (See page 8.)

Contractors and the Local in Wichita, Kansas, have partnered with a local community college to grant associate degrees with the completion of apprenticeship training (plus five extra general classes). Not only does this arrangement make apprenticeship training more attractive—especially to parents and school counselors—but also it is a source of pride for those who complete the program and increases the quality and quantity of applicants. In addition, Dajen Bohacek of SMACCA Milwaukee provides some tips for undertaking a similar project in your area. (See page 12.)

Are you getting excited thinking about how far you could travel by implementing a program like one of those described in this issue—or perhaps something totally different—with the help of your labor or management partner? Partners in Progress’s Strive to Succeed Challenge could award you $3,000 to turbocharge the efforts of your labor-management partnership. All that is required is to complete a simple set of tasks before, during, and after the conference. (Visit pinp. org/conferences/pinp20/ to get the details on completing the challenge.) We will maintain a leaderboard that shows how each area is progressing and recognize the efforts of participating areas.

Visit pinp.org to keep up to date and find useful resources available to SMART Locals, SMACNA contractors and chapters, labor management cooperation trusts and committees, training centers, and individual members of SMACNA and SMART. Registration is required for full access to all resources.

It is free but limited to members. You can also find us on Facebook as “sheetmetalpartners”, on Twitter as “smpartners”, and on Instagram as “smpartners”. Tag us in your social media posts for more recognition of your work. ▪ Partners in Progress » November 2019 » 3

CELEBRATING THE FIFTH ANNUAL NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees raised awareness by hosting various events across the country By / Natalie Bruckner On November 11, 2019, the fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) kicked off with a recordbreaking number of events held across the country to help shine a spotlight on the opportunities apprenticeships offer to workers and employers.

Over the past four years, more than 3,000 events have been hosted with more than 300,000 attendees in all 50 states, and according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), this year saw NAW’s highest attendance to date.

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Sheet metal Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees (JATC) in every state took part by hosting events to not only celebrate the work of apprentices, but also to promote the advantages of matching the skills job creators need with the high-paying careers job seekers want.

From open houses and skills competitions to business open houses and high school and college career fairs, SMACNA contractors and SMART craftspersons, in collaboration with leadership at various JATCs, were busy welcoming people

from all walks of life and engaging in discussions about sheet metal apprenticeships.

In recent years, concerns have been escalating over the labor shortage in the United States. Latest reports by the DOL found that the American economy had 7.6 million unfilled jobs, but only 6.5 million people were looking for work as of January 2019.

For the sheet metal industry, attracting the next generation of workers is necessary to meet demand and help the industry thrive. Apprentice programs are a crucial part of recruitment and have shown to be effective in attracting the ever-elusive millennial generation.

In fact, according to the Delaware Depertment of Labor, the top five occupations for apprentices are electricians, plumbers, HVAC professionals, construction laborers, and yes, sheet metal workers.

Due to the continued efforts of all those in the industry, a noticeable change is underway. The DOL states that since the start of 2017, more than 600,000 new apprentices have been hired across the country. Thanks to initiatives like NAW and the commitment of those in the sheet metal industry, awareness continues to grow. Here is a sampling of the events that happened in 2019.

In Montana, 90% of apprentices remain in the state upon completion. In turn, apprentices immediately start working and earn a paycheck while completing the required training and instruction.

Montana Local 103, Montana State JATC and Tri-County Mechanical & Electrical During this year’s National Apprentice Week, Montana’s JATC was recognized as the 2019 Apprenticeship Sponsor of the Year. It currently has 53 apprentices in the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program, the largest group in the history of the JATC. The program has an apprentice completion rate of nearly 90% and was awarded platinum level accreditation from the International Training Institute’s Audit Committee.

In addition, Tri-County Mechanical & Electrical, based in Helena, was presented with the 2019 Montana Apprenticeship Employer of the Year award.

“This apprenticeship program means everything to our company,” says Matt Lane, president and CEO of Tri-County Mechanical & Electrical. “It’s the future of our business. We

Partners in Progress » November 2019 » 5

“Apprenticeship in the skilled construction trades has become more popular among high school and middle school administrators over the last few years,” says Matt O’Rourke, training director for Local 80’s training center. like to encourage young people to look into the trades. The trades are always going to offer well-paying, in-demand work in Montana.”

The company has employed apprentices for more than 30 years and currently has 24 registered apprentices working on projects located in Havre, Butte, Bozeman, Helena, Great Falls, and Wyoming.

“I started out as an apprentice, and now I’m the president of a successful company that I own with my wife,” Lane says.

“Now my son is an apprentice. The apprenticeship program was there for me when I needed to be trained, and I’m excited to pass that along to the next generation.”

In Montana, 90% of apprentices remain in the state upon becoming journeypersons. In turn, apprentices immediately start working and earn a paycheck while completing the required training and instruction. In the state, apprentices who complete their program earn an average wage of more than $63,000 annually, $20,000 higher than the statewide average.

Michigan Local 80 Training Center – Detroit Leading up to National Apprenticeship Week, the Local 80 training center began raising awareness by attending numerous events, one of which was the MiCareerQuest, which saw thousands of middle and high school students attend to learn about career opportunities in construction trades.

“Apprenticeship in the skilled construction trades has become more popular among high school and middle school administrators over the last few years,” says Matt O’Rourke, training director for Local 80’s training center. “We are seen as a viable option for graduates, as opposed to a fallback plan for those who couldn’t make it in college. The growing popularity of apprenticeship among school administrators has resulted in more events that inform students about the opportunities in the skilled construction trades.”

O’Rourke adds that events that increase awareness to high school administrators, teachers, and students have been particularly crucial. He says the growing opportunities with work in the sheet metal sector have also encouraged many current Local 80 members to urge family and friends to apply for the apprenticeships.

The success of Local 80’s involvement and the marketing of events that raise awareness can be seen in the numbers.

Local 80’s apprenticeship enrollment has increased 60% over the past three years, and it continues to grow. “The more we spread the word about the opportunities we have, the better the 6 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org

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

Getting A Head-Start MC3 pre-apprenticeship program is diversifying the workforce

By / Natalie Bruckner It’s no secret that the United States has faced an unprecedented skilled labor shortage. With industry veterans leaving the workforce and many high school graduates not interested or even aware of blue-collar jobs, the situation is only expected to worsen.

Current estimates indicate there are about 300,000 unfilled jobs in the construction sector, and the industry is expected to need an additional 747,000 workers by 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Rather than bemoaning the situation, the sheet metal industry is taking action and cooperating with other trades to help implement programs that will attract the right kind of candidate and add diversity to the sector. Case in point, the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, which is bringing construction education back into high schools and to the masses in general.

This collaborative effort was first established in 2007 by the North American Building Trades Union (NABTU) and supported

by SMACNA contractors and SMART craftspersons, among other building trades. The MC3 is a comprehensive 120-hour apprenticeship preparation curriculum that is taught in NABTU’s 120-plus apprenticeship readiness programs across the country.

“Over the past 40 years the United States has really cut away vocational education, and, without that piece, you can go through high school and never hear about construction,” says Tom Kriger, director of research at NABTU and the administrator of the MultiCraft Core Curriculum.

During the the mid 2000s, this issue was brought to NABTU’s attention due to a distinct lack of apprentices and an issue with retention. To help combat the problem, the apprenticeship and training committee was given an assignment: create a curriculum 8 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org

that could be used in schools and would get students up to speed on trades, helping them make an informed decision about what trade, if any, they may wish to enter.

But the committee had even bigger ideas. “We worked with civil rights organizations to extend the recruitment effort to groups who were historically underserved in the construction industry: people of color, women, and transitioning veterans,” Kriger explains.

Unlike other programs, the MC3 is multi-craft and the various crafts (one of which is sheet metal) donated different chapters.

While the curriculum includes an eight hour unit devoted to an intro into the industry and the trades, exposure to various trades often continues throughout the course. This includes sheet metal training directors or business representatives and apprentices visiting classrooms to explain what sheet metal apprenticeship entails.

While mainly face-to-face, the curriculum—which costs $100 per student per class and is issued through local building trades approval—uses an online learning platform to deliver the different chapters and materials. This gives access and education to all those who wish to seek opportunities within the Building Trades registered apprenticeship programs in the hopes of becoming a journey level worker.

The format seems to be working. The MC3 has experienced phenomenal success, with around 170 programs being taught across the country. “Over the past three years we have had 5,500 people graduate. The growth has been exponential. In 2015, we had around 900 people complete the MC3, three years ago that number went up to 1,100, and last year that number rose to 1,900. This year we will see 2,500 complete the MC3,” Kriger explains.

The proof that it is reaching a wider demographic can also be witnessed in the numbers. “Of the 2,500 graduates last year, 75%

“As the MC3 has progressed, we have seen a better applicant as it teaches students about various aspects of the trades and they know what they are getting into. The truth is, people don’t understand what sheet metal is and what it involves, so this provides them with an insight into the craft,” says Jason Wardrip, business manager at Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council were people of color, and that number has been consistent over the past four to five years. In addition, 20% were women. The national figures for women in the trades is 3.5%, so 20% is something we can definitely be proud of,” Kriger says.

Of course, change can be unsettling, explains Jason Wardrip, business manager at Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council who works with SMART and SMACNA. “People were initially apprehensive because it’s new and there were concerns people would work non-union,” Wardrop says. “No matter whether it’s construction or banking, people often like things the way they were. You have to go out on a limb sometimes.

“There has been a realization that if we don’t get onboard, we will be left behind. Also, as the MC3 has progressed, we have seen better applicants, as the program teaches students about various aspects of the trades. They know what they are getting into. The truth is, people don’t understand what sheet metal is and what it involves, so this provides them with an insight into the craft.”

While the program initially had six chapters (Construction Industry and Trades Orientation, Tools and Materials, Construction Health and Safety, Blueprint Reading, Basic Math for Construction, and Heritage of the American Worker), three new chapters were Partners in Progress » November 2019 » 9

Getting a Head Start

In 2014, nine California high schools began participating in a MC3 pilot project, and the latest figures show these pilots have prepared more than 2,000 disadvantaged Californians for a future in construction careers.

added over the years to better represent the industry. Those chapters were Diversity in the Construction Industry, Green Construction, and Financial Literacy.

“The program now dedicates four hours to diversity awareness, which includes gender equity, terminology, and the gender lens, plus eight hours on sexual harassment prevention,” Kriger says. “In the health and safety chapter, there is a section devoted to women, focused on topics like properly fitting equipment and pregnancy.

This section was provided by women in construction groups and shows the evolution of labor.”

Part of the program’s success is that it provides its participants with realistic expectations. Kriger says that not all the people who take the MC3 get placed, as some come out of school and decide not to enter the trades.

“But for the adult programs we try to keep a 1-2-1 relationship with openings we have and students we train, with maybe a little bit of attrition,” he says. “We don’t do the Washington ‘train and pray.’

We don’t want to set any unrealistic expectations.”

California is a state that has been experiencing great success with the program. In 2011, California passed Bill AB 554, which requires local workforce investment boards to coordinate programs and services funded by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), and approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), with community colleges to provide pre-apprenticeship training.

In 2014, nine California high schools began participating in a MC3 pilot project, and the latest figures show these pilots have prepared more than 2,000 disadvantaged Californians for a future in construction careers.

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Frank Cuneo, former training coordinator for Local 104 in California, was heavily involved in the project from its inception and was also involved in an apprenticeship standards revision in the Bay Area that would give one out of every 10 applicants from the apprenticeship readiness program direct entry into the sheet metal apprenticeship.

“MC3 has proven to be a great way to prepare people for apprenticeship,” Cuneo says. “Through the course, some discover that apprenticeship is not for them, which is also a positive outcome as we helped them with their career decision. The program increases retention as the applicants are prepared for what lies ahead.”

Dan Riley, the current training coordinator for Local 104 and the Bay Area Industry Training Fund, agrees. “It is a great foundation.

It gives students who enjoy working with their hands an insight into the trades and acts as a great foundation, providing them with fundamental skills that will help in their success,” he says.

While the MC3 is about getting trades back into the schools and re-starting a conversation that has been lost, there has also been great success with the program in the state prisons, such as San Quentin in California and High Desert Corrections Institution in Nevada.

“It’s true that schools aren’t being taught this, just as they are not being educated about unions,” Wardrip says. “It’s time to teach them skills and information they can take with them into the real world, but that also applies to state prisons. The Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council has signed four MoUs this year and is also getting into the Colorado Department of Corrections for low-risk offenders to teach this curriculum to people with 18 months or less to go. After all, everyone needs a second chance.”

Read more: MC3 in Our Schools: A Guide for Students and Parents: nabtu.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MC3-in-Our-Schools-AGuide-for-Students-and-Parents.pdf ▪ 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.

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Locals, contractors, and leaders in education work together to ensure a skilled and educated workforce for the future

by Deb Draper Local 29 in Wichita, Kansas, has partnered with Butler Community College to give its apprentices an opportunity to receive a college degree while they complete the JATCs Sheet Metal Workers training program.

The Waldinger Corporation’s Matt Hildreth, construction division manager, says, “We have a contract with Local 29 and employ a lot of their apprentices and journeymen. To have this as part of the curriculum, ending up with a degree as they graduate, is a source of pride for the workers and a good marketing tool for contractors and the sheet metal industry.”

How it all began

Joseph Samia, president of SMACNA’s Central Consolidated, Inc., based in Wichita, explains: “Our local Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, made up of three contractors and three union representatives, reached out to Butler College looking to get credentials for our journeypersons once they graduated from the apprenticeship program. We showed the college our training program, and through the International Training Institute (ITI) certified curriculum, we already had most of the electives needed for an associate degree. In addition, our on-the-job training qualified for some of Butler’s technical programs.”

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© Can Stock Photo / DeeBoldrick

Apprenticeships to Degrees

The committee worked with the college to submit the program to the Board of Regents in the State of Kansas. It was accepted under the condition that the JATC pay for a number of credit hours, including the five in-seat/in-class courses that apprentices take during their first semester. Meanwhile, the college developed a degree unique to Butler, specifically for recruits sent through Local 29.

How it works

“We’ve been partnered with Butler for probably 12 years now.,” says Local 29’s apprenticeship coordinator, Brennen East. “We take applications year-round from anyone interested in joining our sheet metal workforce, and once they are an apprentice, we work with the college as part of the mandatory training.”

During the week, sheet metal apprentices get on-the-job training with industry leaders that have entered into collective bargaining agreements with Local 29. Two nights a week, the apprentices train at the JATC facility. On Saturday mornings, they train at the college campus in Andover to earn the extra required 15 credit-hours through five classes: Business English, Business Communications, Information Processing Systems, Technical Mathematics 1, and State and Local Government.

As these new journeypersons pursue a career in the sheet metal industry, they may someday want to branch out beyond the field, maybe into project management or earn a business degree.

The apprentices begin these college classes in the second semester of their first year. As East explains, “When they finish their third year of our apprenticeship program, they will have also completed their college degree. In their fourth year they will finish with their journeyperson’s card.”

As long as the apprentices go to classes on time, do the work, and meet the requirements of the program, at the end of each year they are reimbursed for all costs, including for the degree and textbooks.

The JATC typically has 40 to 50 students enrolled every semester.

Since the college receives funding for every student enrolled, Butler benefits.

This past August, Caleb Fiegl—along with 12 other Butler students—graduated from the program, receiving his journeyperson’s card from Local 29 and an associate degree in Applied Science from Butler College.

“I went to college for a couple of years before, flirting with the idea of getting a degree and picking up student loans,” Fiegl says. “I decided that wasn’t the direction for me. My father is a sheet metal worker, so I signed up for apprenticeship, not knowing about the associate degree until I got in there.

“I found that some of those college classes were very informative and helpful, since construction these days is going more towards technology. We learned how to use Microsoft Excel and other programs we see on the jobsite. We also learned things that might be important down the line, such as how to be professional and how to send courteous, effective emails.”

Samia adds, “We have one individual here who has been a journeyman for something like 25 years, but he recently enrolled at Butler for the associate degree program, paid for it himself, and went through the classes with his kids because he wanted the degree, as well. Any journeyperson can go back and get an associate degree if they want.”

Benefits to industry

Hildreth says the thinking behind the JATC’s decision to work with the college and add a degree to the apprenticeship program is that it provides better traction from high school trade shows and career fairs to generate interest in the sheet metal industry.

“An opportunity for a college/associate degree makes it more attractive for kids and for parents, plus we hope this attitude will increase the quality and quantity of applicants,” he says. “It’s a definite positive.”

As these new journeypersons pursue a career in the sheet metal industry, they may someday want to branch out beyond the field, maybe into project management or earn a business degree. Thanks to JATC partnerships working to provide essential training and classes for the trades, they’ve already begun working towards that future. ▪ From her desk in Calgary, Alberta, Deb Smith writes for trade and business publications across North America, specializing in profiles and stories within the hospitality, food service, mining, recreation, and construction industries.

Making it Happen Creating partnerships between JATCs and local colleges is a matter of commitment and clear communication, says Dajen Bohacek, associate director of SMACCA Milwaukee. She recommends talking to community colleges/four-year colleges in the area to see what they have to offer. “Right now many colleges are actively looking to partner with apprenticeship programs,” she says. “Find a local community college that offers skilled programs like welding or HVAC—they will already have some labs in place, and working with trades won’t be a foreign idea. Having someone at the college who understands construction and the training will make the process much smoother.”

Consider different ways of making it work, as each situation is unique to the area, the college, and the JATC. Bohacek suggests the following examples: • Enrollment and classes could be handled within the college, with teachers that are members of the Local employed through the college, saving on costs for a separate training facility.

• Only some classes and teachers might be accessed through the college, with the majority of training offered through the JATC. • Achieving a college degree could be mandatory or an option within apprenticeship training.

By developing the program as a working partnership between the contractors’ association, the Local, and the technical/community college, the result is a win-win situation for everyone. ▪ Partners in Progress » November 2019 » 13

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