Pre-Apprenticeship

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Are you interested in a rewarding career with great pay and benefits? Do you appreciate the feeling you get after a hard-days work and a job well-done? Do you want to build new housing, improve aging infrastructure, and increase our supply of clean energy? Careers with Maine Building and Construction Trades unions can offer all this and more! 

The Maine AFL-CIO is expanding pathways into rewarding careers in construction by offering a range of programs that provide a first step into registered apprenticeships with Maine Building and Construction Trades unions. Registered apprenticeships with Maine unions offer the opportunity to "earn while you learn" as you work under the supervision of experienced tradespeople on real job sites and take classes with experienced union instructors who will help you to understand the ideas and best practices for your work in the field. 

If you don't have any experience in construction and you don't know where to start, our Union Construction Academy pre-apprenticeship offers a great first step into registered apprenticeships. Through four weeks of classes and hands-on training, you will gain a range of industry-recognized certifications, hands-on experience, soft-skills, and an understanding of unions and the Labor Movement. Upon completion of the program, our dedicated team works to connect you with great opportunities with a wide range of Maine unions.

If you already have a good sense of the trade you wish to pursue and are seeking additional training, credentials, and experience to make you a more competitive candidate for apprenticeship, we also offer specialized two-week trainings with the Laborers Union and the Carpenters Union, as well as metal trades trainings that prepare you for careers with the Ironworkers, Sheetmetal Workers, Elevator Constructors, and the shipyards. 

We are currently accepting applications for the following sessions:

  • Union Metal Trades Pre-Apprenticeship, November 17-December 10. APPLY HERE.
    • This intensive training provides participants with 120 hours of instruction and practice with Stick and Flux-Core welding ( (SMAW and FCAW), in preparation for careers with the Ironworkers, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Shipbuilders, and Elevator Constructors unions.
  • Laborers Union Training, December 1-December 12, 2025. APPLY HERE.
    • This training will prepare participants for registered apprenticeships with the Laborers' Union in Maine. Participants will earn certifications in OSHA-10, First Aid-CPR, Flagging, Scaffolding, Hotworks, and Forklift. They will also do hands-on work with blueprint reading, concrete, and scaffolding. The coursework for this session will be held in Portland, but please note that some required training elements will be completed at the New England Laborers Training Center in Hopkinton, MA. To learn more about the Laborers Union click here.
  • Carpenters Union Training, February 16-February 27, 2026. APPLY HERE.
    • Participants will earn required certifications in OSHA-10 and First-Aid/CPR and learn the basics of working with metal stud framing, sheetrock, hand tools, and more. 

Please note that due to strong demand and limited spots within our program, our application process is highly competitive. The more information you can provide in response to the questions below, the stronger your application will be. Applications with missing information or incomplete responses will not be considered.