The top journeymen, apprentices and contractors from Northeast Ohio gathered at Cleveland Browns Stadium for the annual celebration honoring the local union construction industry.
Held on Aug. 29, the Building Excellence and Craftsmanship Awards honored those who helped build and re-build the region.
Nearly 400 men and women attended the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council apprenticeship fair on March 27. Attendees were able to meet with members of the trades and learn about apprenticeships and career opportunities available through the trades.
Read MoreAmid a construction boom in Northeast Ohio, affiliated Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council unions are hosting a career fair to encourage more men and women to join their apprenticeship programs.
On March 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council will host a career fair at the Pipefitters Local 120 Union Hall, located at 6305 Halle Drive in Cleveland. Women, Cleveland residents and people of color are encouraged to attend.
Since the end of the COVID pandemic, building trades leaders across Ohio have been forecasting tremendous work opportunities for union construction members. These predictions were affirmed when numerous building trades councils reported record man hours in 2021 and again in 2022.
Read MoreCleveland City Council will soon vote to allocate $10 million from its American Rescue Plan Act funding to help bolster the region’s construction workforce. According to a presentation made at Council’s Workforce, Education, Training and Youth Development Committee held on Jan. 24, the funds will be used for work development purposes in the following manner:
Read MoreIn honor of National Apprenticeship Week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb visited the Laborers’ Local 310 training center in Cleveland. Bibb, who began his first term as the 58th Mayor of Cleveland in January, spoke to apprentices outside of Local 310’s training center on Nov. 15, and then listened to their stories on why they became apprentices.
Read MoreBricklayers and Allied Craftworker Local 5 apprentice Donald Murray, III gave himself a great early birthday present when he took home the title of the nation’s top Point, Cleaning and Caulking (PCC) apprentice in an International competition. Murray, a fourth-year apprentice, earned first place in the BAC/IMI International Apprenticeship Contest, which took place on Sept. 23-24 in Boston at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center.
Read MoreYears of hard work paid off for the Finishing Trades Institute of the Ohio Region [FTIOR], as the training group for the Painters Union gained accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education.
Viewed as a nationally honored seal of excellence for occupational education institutions, COE accreditation denotes honesty and integrity in the organizations.
According to its website, the COE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education offered by the institutions it has accredited, which includes registered apprenticeship programs.
Educational programs or institutes who have been found to meet or exceed stated criteria of educational quality and student achievement are granted accreditation.
The Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council hosted an event on June 22 to discuss the 21st century workforce for its affiliated union trades.
About 50 building trades leaders from across the state gathered at the IBEW Local 683 Union Hall to attend the conference and learn about the recruitment and retention of members.
Among those in attendance were leaders of regional building trades council, business managers and representees, organizers and JATC training coordinators. Attendees not only listened to speakers, but also had a chance to participate and ask questions.
The keynote speaker was Russ Ormiston, Associate Professor at Allegheny College, who discussed how demographics and labor statistics relate to successful member recruitment in today’s tight labor market.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced plans to permanently rescind previous efforts to create Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) from all industries.
Introduced during the Trump administration, IRAPs were widely criticized by the labor community due to their lack of oversight. These “self-monitored” apprenticeship programs rely on employers or affiliated partners to train new workers without any government regulation or oversight.
Many feared these programs could lead to a permanent class of apprentices.
Cleveland Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee Director Ken Field was recently appointed to the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council.
The Apprenticeship Council is a state board made up of representatives from various aspects of the industry and the public. It is comprised of three employer representatives, three employee representatives, three public representatives, four advisory members and three representatives from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Field’s appointment was made by Gov. Mike DeWine’s office earlier this year.
IUPAT DC 6 apprentices volunteered their services at the Edna House. The group repaired drywall, retextured ceilings and painted the living quarters at the rehabilitation facility.
Read MoreTraining directors react to pandemic with multiple plans
As the COVID-19 pandemic seems to regain strength in Ohio and many other states, restrictions are beginning to ease, but training directors for various union trades must now prepare multiple training plans that can change quickly, if needed.
At the onset of the coronavirus, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, registered apprenticeship programs and other educational centers had to either modify their schedules or shift to online learning.
Read More