Building a Skilled Construction Workforce
The union construction industry is dedicated to having the best trained and most highly qualified craftspeople in the industry. Training is a full-time commitment by our unions and contractors, funded to the tune of over $28 million annually. And, with 75,000 members and 3,500 employers, the union construction industry in Massachusetts is the largest trainer and supplier of skilled construction workers in the Commonwealth.
Blue Cross 25 Tech Place: (Photo courtesy of Blue Cross) “Our experience with Massachusetts building trade unions has been great. With workers well-trained in their craft, they have been integral to our success in completing our projects on budget and on time.”
- Cleve L. Killingsworth, Chairman, President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Union craftspeople learn their trade through state-of-the-art apprenticeship programs. In fact there are no self-taught craftspeople in our ranks. Union apprentices spend two to five years in the classroom and on-the-job training. Challenging apprenticeship programs instill integrity, work ethic and pride in each and every union craftsperson. Continuing education classes after apprenticeship ensure that union workers remain up-to-date with the latest technologies. These individuals possess skills unparalleled in the construction industry.
This investment in training helps raise standards throughout the construction industry, increases job site safety, and ensures that our work product continues to be the best in the world. Union contractors benefit because they are able to recruit high quality craftspeople. Project owners benefit because highly trained workers get the job done right the first time.
Mass Mutual Center (Photo courtesy of Bill Ravanesi)A 2008 study of union and non-union building trade apprenticeship programs in Massachusetts by the Labor Resource Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston demonstrates that the union sector's investment in training pays off:
• More than 80% of building trades apprentices participate in union training programs.
• In addition to enrolling more apprentices, union programs maintained higher completion rates than did non-union programs.
• Union apprenticeship programs were more successful than non-union programs at recruiting women, racial/ethnic minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Our partnerships with community groups are also helping to prepare youth, minorities, women and people of low and moderate incomes, as well as returning military veterans, for apprenticeship opportunities in construction. They’re also helping to meet the demand for a skilled construction workforce overall. With more than 31,000 new construction jobs expected in Massachusetts by 2014, ensuring opportunities to those with otherwise limited options is paramount for the future success of the construction industry.
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