APPRENTICESHIP DEPARTMENT REPORTBy Mike White
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Partnership between Ironworkers and Educa torsProvides Funding for California Welding Program
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APRIL 2009 19The California District Council of Ironworkers honoredthe first graduates of its Apprenticeship PreparednessMulti-Trades Welding Program with ceremoniesat its Benicia, California Training Center, March2. The two-year program is being funded through a$500,000 grant from the California Community CollegesChancellor’s Office.
Michelle Miles, a promising welder candidate, was
accompanied by her four children to graduation ceremonies
at the Benicia, California regional training center.
“Before I completed this welding course, the only things I
burned were in the kitchen,” she quipped.
The unprecedented partnership between the IronWorkers apprenticeship program and the CaliforniaCommunity Colleges is designed to provide trainingand career opportunities for up to 120 applicants whowish to obtain welding certifications. Classes are conductedafter work hours, three nights a week and everySunday at the Benicia training center.“This unique partnership is in response to a growingdemand for certified welders in the constructionand industrial sectors and theneed to nurture career opportunitiesfor welding studentsenrolled at our colleges,” saidJose Millan, vice chancellorof the California CommunityColleges. “We are confidentthat the Iron Workers Unionhas the expertise and state-of-the-art apprenticeship programneeded to ensure thehighest levels of safety andskills training.”To apply for the program, students from CaliforniaCommunity Colleges must provide a “negative” testfrom IMPACT’s Substance Abuse Testing Programand have the necessary transportation to attend 59 classroom-training sessions.
Welding Group Photo
Richard Zampa Jr., CaliforniaIronworkers apprentice director, said the firstgraduating group of 35 welders has been a great successand the second round of training will be completedby August.“The selection process has allowed us to identifypeople with welding experience and steer them into ourunion apprenticeship program,” Zampa noted. “Many hadprevious experience in non-union shop and fi eld crews, sothis has been a good organizing tool for us. Both laborand management view this program as a positive tool torecruit and train much-needed welders for the constructionindustry. Our welders are drug-free, tooled-up, motivated,well trained and committed to working for unioncontractors who provide good wages and benefits.”
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Message from Apprentice Director
Welcome to the UNIVERSITYOFIRON.ORG website. This website is still under construction and will be improved and revised as information becomes available. I hope that this website becomes your source for information on Apprenticeship and Journeyman upgrade training for our California, Nevada and Arizona training centers. Links to our our International and Local Unions will be added to inform you of upcoming events in your area and also important information that affects working people. A schedule of upcoming safety and upgrade classes will be available for Ironworkers in all areas of our District Council.
Our apprenticeship programs are open for applications daily. We are seeking people who are interested in a career as an Ironworker. Though no experience is necessary, we are always seeking Ironworkers who have worked without the benefit of Union representation to come aboard, and be slotted into our apprenticeship program and given credit for thier skills. Please advise the apprenticeship coordinator of your Ironwork experience, welding certifications and/or any construction experience you may have when you apply at the apprenticeship.
Our California, Nevada and Arizona four (4) year apprenticeship programs are among the first programs in the country to become accredited by our International and National Training Fund. To become accredited, we must meet strict standards and provide all of the training as outlined in the evaluation procedures. President Hunt spoke of the need to certify all of the Ironworker schools in his recent DVD that we received in the mail. One of the benefits to our apprentices who attend an accredited school, is that college credits can be earned toward an AA degree.
Dick Zampa Jr.
Apprenticeship Director
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