Trainees can also learn basic construction math, landscaping techniques, asbestos training and a host of other skills. There s even a Confined Space Awareness course for apprentices who have to work in tight spaces. Beyond apprenticeship training, the program provides advanced coursework for journeymen who want to upgrade their skills or learn new technologies. As far as the laborer is concerned, the sky s the limit. More than 2,400 laborers have gone through the program since it was started in June 1993.
Training continues year-round at the center even during the busy summer construction season.
Apprenticeship has come a long way since the old days, Wiederich said, when trainees basically sat back and watched. You had to pray for a mentor so you didn t get lost in the field, he said. Since its inception, it has become a national model for laborer training. The Laborers International Union has watched us with a very keen eye, Wiederich said. It s very well accepted by almost all of the contractors.