Union Construction Academy's Carpenters Cohort Visits Jay Solidarity Center

As Maine’s construction season ramps up, the Maine AFL-CIO recently partnered with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters to host a two-week session of our Union Construction Academy that trained participants specifically for careers with the Carpenters and Millwrights. The training offered the small cohort of six participants an intensive introduction to the hands-on skills that they will need to be successful in those trades, while also helping them to develop an understanding of what it means to be part of a union and the labor movement.

The group brought together participants from a wide range of backgrounds, including four individuals of color, a woman, and two people from rural Maine. Some came in with prior experience, including one graduate of our Union Pathways program and another who had worked in a non-union shop. Others were newer to the construction industry. Over the course of the training, they worked side by side on a variety of group activities as they developed valuable experience in planning and completing projects as part of a team. They also came to know and appreciate each other, and the unique backgrounds and skillsets they all brought to the table as they worked together to take the first steps to a new career.

The lead instructor for the program was Dan Heckathorn, who brings more than thirty years of experience in the field. Dan guided pre-apprentices through several projects working with metal studs and track, and showed them how to use a variety of tools and techniques to cut and hang drywall. They also built concrete forms, experimenting with different designs and gaining a better understanding of layout and structure. In the process of learning these different skills, they also used their math and reading skills while interpreting blueprints. Our first week concluded with a day of instruction from the Millwrights, who introduced them to the structure of their apprenticeship and showed them precision tools and the math that underpins their highly technical work.

To kick off our second week of the training we shifted locations to the Western Maine Labor Council’s Solidarity Center in Jay, home of Local 14. There participants not only continued building their skills, but also connected their work to the broader history of the labor movement. They learned about the 1987–88 paper strike and spoke directly with veterans of that campaign, including Randy Berry and WMLC President Linda Deane, who shared their experiences and emphasized the importance of preserving the history of workers’ struggles for dignity and fairness.

While in Jay, the pre-apprentices put their skills to work on a real project at the Solidarity Center. Over two days, they worked with Dan and Caleb from UBC 349 to repair a drop ceiling, replace rotting exterior siding, install Tyvek, drywall the bathroom, and install a new door. There’s more work to be done, but the group made significant progress. Just as importantly, the six participants got to experience a real project and contribute to efforts to preserve the building and the memory of the Jay strike. Several pre-apprentices said that their experience in Jay was the highlight of the training because they offered the chance to apply the skills they learned in a real-world setting while learning about issues of deep significance to Maine’s labor movement.

On the final day of the program, we visited a jobsite at the U.S. Post Office on Forest Avenue in Portland, where they met with Derek Ellis, a superintendent and foreman from CCB. The visit offered a window into the day-to-day realities of a large-scale construction project, from coordination and timelines to the importance of safety and communication. They also heard firsthand about the benefits of building a career in a union trade, and the pride that comes with being part of a highly skilled and professional team.

Pre-apprentices who wish to take the next step and pursue an apprenticeship with the Carpenters’ or Millwrights will attend an information session, fill out applications, and interview with UBC 349 organizer Mike McGuigan. Their experience in the Union Construction Academy-Carpenters session will give them a leg up because of the confidence, hands-on training, mentorship, and connections they developed over the course of the past two weeks. Anyone who is interested in participating in future sessions is encouraged to apply to our Union Construction Academy program here.