ENGLISH ESPAÑOL MENU CRAFTS COURSES CENTERS SCHEDULE BECOME A CARPENTER BECOME A CARPENTER We’re Southwest Carpenters—over 50,000 men and women proudly building America and helping keep it strong. Completing one of our apprenticeship programs is the best way to start your Carpenter career. Through our earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship approach, you have an extraordinary opportunity to learn in-demand construction skills. You can earn a good, living wage for you and your family—right from the start. Learn how to join YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 JOURNEY LEVEL EARNING POTENTIAL $16,000 - $40,000 SAMPLE CLASSES Orientation Safety & Health Certifications Tool & Equipment Applications Basic Wall Framing WORKING HOURS 160 hours/year, 6:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Thursday IT PAYS TO BE A UNION-TRAINED CARPENTER The rewards of completing a Southwest Carpenters Training Fund apprenticeship program include developing valuable, job-ready skills and earning good wages and benefits. You will receive on-the-job training through employers who have agreements with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America—the largest building trades union in North America. You’ll also receive classroom instruction at a Southwest Carpenters Training Fund training center throughout your apprenticeship. THE BENEFITS OF UNION MEMBERSHIP Once you join a union local, you will work under the protection of a union contract. This means you are guaranteed to earn while you learn, including getting regular wage increases as you accumulate classroom hours and on-the-job training time. You’ll be eligible for health insurance (medical, prescription drugs, dental, vision), and a pension plan to help you retire with dignity. MOVING UP TO JOURNEY WORKER AND GETTING CONTINUOUS EDUCATION After successfully completing an apprenticeship program, you’ll be advanced to Journey Worker. You’ll also receive a trade certificate from the state where you were trained, and from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. And, you’ll have access to continuous learning resources to help you keep up with advances in your trade and keep your skills sharp. I'm looking forward the sense of achievement I'll have at graduating from the program. Becoming a Journey Worker Carpenter will be one of the most gratifying things I will accomplish. I could've taken the easy road, but I know that the training provided through the apprenticeship program was second to none. I couldn't pass on the opportunity to experience all the program offers. —Justin Bradshaw APPRENTICESHIP LENGTH Most apprenticeship programs are four years in length, though some are five years. WORKING HOURS On the Job Site Job-site hours are typically 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, though earlier start times and/or later end times are possible. Shift work and/or weekend work may be required for certain job sites and/or projects. Worksites change routinely, as projects change. You can expect to travel 30 to 90 minutes to a job site. In the Classroom Classroom hours are 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Classes are held at your designated training center. You must attend 160 hours/year of classroom training. GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION You must bring your own hand tools to the job site, and to the classroom when attending training. You’ll be scheduled to start classroom instruction three months after entering your apprenticeship program. You must attend 160 hours of trade-related classroom instruction per year. You must purchase the books you will need for classroom training. (There is no cost to you for the training itself—either on-the-job or in the classroom.) A first-period apprentice’s wages are usually 40% of a Journey Worker’s wages but may differ based on the state in which you work and your trade. Our apprenticeship programs are approved for on-the-job training benefits for military veterans who qualify. The program does not offer summer or part-time employment. Browse our Frequently Asked Questions CARPENTER CRAFTS Acoustical Installer Cabinetmaker / Millworker Carpenter Drywall Applicator (IS) Floor Layer / Worker Insulator (IS) Lather Millwright Modular Furnishing Installer Pile Driver Plasterer (IS) Residential Carpenter Scaffold Erector Terrazzo Finisher Terrazzo Installer SW CARPENTER WEBSITES United Brotherhood of Carpenters Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters Carpenters Southwest Administrative Corporation (CSAC) Local Unions Career Connections PROGRAM & PARTNERSHIPS Brothers' Keeper Bridging Outstanding Opportunities with Tradeswomen Skills Sisters in the Brotherhood Helmets to Hardhats Job Corps Career Connections UNEMPLOYMENT HEADQUARTERS 3250 E. Shelby Street, Suite 137 Ontario, CA 91764 (855) 533 - JACT [5282] fundoffice@swctf.org Follow us on Facebook ©2021. All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy Terms of Use