Union Construction Academy Welcomes New Cohort of Pre-Apprentices

The spring session of the Union Construction Academy kicked off in Portland earlier this month. The five-week training will prepare the seventeen pre-apprentices in the program for a range of careers with Maine’s Building and Construction Trades Unions. A central aim of the program is to strengthen Maine’s workforce by providing a pathway into Union apprenticeships for those who are historically underrepresented in the Maine construction industry. Six women are enrolled in the training, and nearly half of the participants identify as people of color. The trainees also include skilled tradespeople from Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Angola, who will earn certifications that allow them to put their prior experience to work.

“Interest in the program has grown a lot since we started in May of 2023. We received over a hundred applications, and with such a big pool of applicants, we were able to select a highly motivated and well-qualified group. We keep the cohorts to around fifteen students per session so that we can provide strong support and mentorship to each pre-apprentice so they’re set up for success after the program.” said Maine AFL-CIO Apprenticeship and Workforce Director Sam Boss.

The pre-apprentices have so far received certifications in OSHA 10, First-Aid/CPR, Flagging, Hotworks, and Scaffolding (User) from trainers with the New England Laborers Training Academy (NELTA). They have also done hands-on training with line and grade, scaffolding, and concrete. Over the next few weeks, they will be building concrete forms and working with drywall with the Carpenters Local 349, and doing some basic electrical training with IBEW 1253. They will also be meeting with representatives from the Laborers, Millwrights, Ironworkers, Sheet Metal Workers, Elevator Constructors, and other trades.

“All of the certifications and the hands-on work they are doing will help them to build confidence and skills that will help them in the field, whatever trade they decide to pursue," said Boss. "The conversations they have with representatives from different unions will let them make an informed choice about which trade is right for them.”  

In addition to hosting leaders from various Unions to talk about pathways into their apprenticeships, the Union Construction Academy has also welcomed back graduates from previous sessions to share their advice and talk about their experiences in the field. The Scontras Center for Labor Education has also contributed to the training, by offering sessions on the meaning of Union membership, the history of the Labor Movement in Maine, and the place of immigrants in the American workforce. Graduation for this session will take place on May 1.

“With each session of this program, we learn more and make improvements to our recruitment process and curriculum," said Boss. "I think this will be our strongest session yet, and I’m excited to see all of our pre-apprentices transition into great Union careers after the program.”

Since UCA was launched in 2023, it has helped workers find union jobs at Bath Iron Works, Cives Steel, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and public works departments as well as with the Laborers, Carpenters, Ironworkers, Sheetmetal workers, IBEW and Elevator Constructors.