TRAINING
The State Apprenticeship Council works closely with the NMBTC to make sure the programs are compliant with applicable standards.
Collectively these two organizations are providing learning and earning opportunities for New Mexicans that might not have seen productive employment in their future and helping to keep them employed for the duration of their working career.
Many apprenticeship programs offer college credits for attending classes. For example, apprentices in NM can earn 51 credits through CNM to put towards their Associate’s Degree, if the choose to pursue it.
It is through partnerships like the one between the NMBTC and the State Apprenticeship Council that New Mexico can better prepare for this state and national growth.If all 440,000 apprentices in the country earned an average annual income of just $15,000 (a low average), nearly $1 billion in tax revenues would be generated, which is a significant return on Federal and State investments.2
1 Source: U.S. Department of Labor, www.doleta.gov/OA/statistics.cfm
2 Source: U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.doleta.gov/OA/eta_default.cfm
Ironworkers Local #495
Everyone involved with Local #495 understands that education is the key to successful members who stay in the community. That’s why it offers college credits for all training, and Spanish-language education is available. English classes are also available for Spanish-speaking members and their families. As they look to the future, they want to continue providing high-quality safety and training that meets the constantly changing needs of the industry.
Plumbers and Pipe Fitters #412
www.ualocal412.org
entry-img2Local #412 spends approximately $1.4 million a year educating and training its members. Approximately 80% of apprentices complete the training program, which requires 8,500 hours of on-the-job training and 1,080 hours of classroom instruction. In the last year, 40 members have joined the program and an additional 20 have completed it. If non-Union apprentices are terminated from their employment they must find another employer who is participating in the program or they may not continue with their classroom instruction. A Union apprentice continues with classroom education, regardless of their employment status, in order to complete their required amount of classroom hours.
Local #412’s training instructors are selected because of their expertise in their given field. They must submit a resume and undergo an interview before they are accepted as an instructor. The training is based on the International Union’s books and curriculum, which are used throughout the US and Canada. The training teaches workers to understand problems so they can troubleshoot current problems and help prevent future issues. The United Association and Local Union #412 believe, “apprenticeship is the nucleus of craftsmanship.”
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #611
Operating Engineers #953
Farmington, NM
Members benefit from a variety of free weekly training opportunities, including Safety, CPR, Journeymen-Upgrade, Equipment-Upgrade Training, 10-hour OSHA Training and 40-Hour Hazmat Training, to name a few. Classes are held on Saturdays so they don’t interfere with work schedules.
Plasterers #254
Apprenticeship Questions Email
Local #254 has spent close to a quarter of a million dollars over the last five years training its members. Members can also take advantage of monthly training classes on a wide assortment of topics, including, O.S.H.A training, hazardous communication, journeyman upgrade, first aid and CPR. Apprenticeship training is held twice a month and lasts three years for plasterers and two years for cement masons.
Sheet Metal Workers #49
www.smwlu49.org
entry-img4Local #49 spends $300,000 every year providing training for its members. In 2006, 130 apprentices began training to become a Journeyman, and eight completed the program and committed to the sheet metal industry as a lifelong career. Instructors are chosen by the JATC committee and are committed to giving back to the future of the local and the craft. Local #49 believes in its instructors and provides an intensive six-day training program for them before they begin teaching. The training facilities include a welding lab, sheet metal shop, computer labs and an HVAC service lab as well as classroom space. Recently Local #49 also partnered with CNM and apprentices receive college credit for their classes to encourage them to pursue a degree after the completion of the program. A test and balance lab is on the list of facilities to add to the center when possible.Local #49 follows strict standards for their training so that each trainee receives the best-possible career education. They finish the program with a sense of discipline and an excellent work ethic. As a result, their program has received the industry’s highest level of accreditation.
Painters #823
Contact Email
www.iupatdc88.com
Recently Local #823 renamed their training program, which is now The New Mexico Finishing Trades Institute. With a budget of more than $100,000 a year, the NMFTI works hard to train members and create a lasting stream of professionals for the local economy. The are currently 50 members enrolled in the apprenticeship program, and approximately 85% of the members that enter the program graduate the program as journeymen. Instructors are selected by a committee comprised of an equal number of employer and labor trustees, which assures members they are receiving high-quality education from qualified professionals.
