New Jersey Union Finds Apprenticeships are Key to Well-Paying Careers

There has been a surge in demand for trade union apprenticeships as the country continues to see an increase in technology-centered skills as the need for things such as solar power, wind energy, and 5G connectivity increase.

“Construction apprentices realize they can earn good money while completing an apprenticeship in the time it takes to go to college and emerge with high-paying jobs and full benefits unburdened by college debt. Construction trade apprenticeships are using high-tech training to produce workers prepared for the challenges of increasingly sophisticated systems they are being asked to build. For example, today’s carpentry apprentices are as likely to use an iPad as a hammer in learning parts of their trade. The approximately 150 apprentices of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local #825 (ELEC) must complete 144 hours of mandatory classroom training a year. However, they often go well beyond that to get additional required certifications to meet OSHA requirements as well as HAZMAT safety, rigging and crane signaling”.

The program also provides “tuition reimbursement” up to 75% with their partnership with Rowan University allowing participants to work towards earning a bachelor’s degree in construction management. Apprentices start by making $23.46 an hour but that number will increase to $46.92 after they have completed up to 900 hours of classroom instruction and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training.

Read full story here: https://njbmagazine.com/monthly-articles/trade-union-apprenticeships-open-paths-to-good-paying-careers/