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MEDIA RELEASE
May 14, 2008

 New Study Shows Success of Union Construction Apprenticeship Programs

 Boston - (May 14, 2008) A new study is being released by the Labor Resource Center at UMASS Boston. The study shows that the unionized sector of the construction industry provides a higher number of skilled workers through apprenticeship programs and that these programs are more successful at recruiting ethnic minorities and women than non-union programs. The study compared union and non-union building trade apprenticeship programs registered with the Massachusetts Division of Apprenticeship over a ten year period from 1997 - 2007.

"Training is a multi-million dollar full time commitment by the union members of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council,(MBCT) and their contractor partners", according to MBTC President Frank Callahan. "We spend over $28 million a year in recruiting and training the best qualified craftspeople in the construction industry, and the results of this study demonstrate that the investment is paying off",

The U.S. Government Accounting Office predicts 850,000 construction jobs will open up between 2002-2012. While long-term economic and demographic factors are predicted to slow job growth in construction in Massachusetts from the pace set in the 1990s, over 30,000 jobs are expected to open in the decade through 2014. The vast majority of these jobs will arise to replace construction workers who retire or change careers.

"Making investments in apprenticeship training programs are critical for us as a Commonwealth in being able to meet these workforce shortages and provide more young adults, women and minorities with the opportunity to enter into a rewarding career path in the building and construction trades," said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Suzanne M. Bump.

Secretary Bump added that the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development's Division of Apprentice Training, under the leadership of Director David Wallace, has been taking steps to increase program sponsorship, improve monitoring of registered apprenticeship programs, improve data collection and expand its outreach efforts to create additional apprentice programs.

The new study being released discovered the following significant findings on Building Trades Apprentice Training in Massachusetts:
  1. Of the 6,433 apprentices actively enrolled as of October 1, 2007, 82% (5274) were enrolled in union apprenticeship programs and 19% (1159) were enrolled in non-union programs
  2. Apprentices in union apprenticeship programs complete their apprenticeships and attain journeyperson status at higher rates. 81% (6142) completed union apprenticeship programs and 19% (1419) completed non-union programs.
  3. The majority of union apprenticeship programs successfully produced skilled journey-level workers. Of the 87 union programs, 89% produced at least one journey-worker. Of the 1198 non-union programs only 32% successfully produced at least one journey-worker.
  4. Union programs recruited racial/ethnic minorities at higher rates than non-union programs, and women at over twice the rate of the non-union programs.
  5. The completion rates for women, veterans and apprentices with disabilities from union programs were double those from non-union programs.
  6. Union programs have higher sustainability. The union programs had a cancellation rate of 11%, while the non-union programs had a cancellation rate of 59% during the ten year period of the study
  7. The average years of operation of union programs is over 21 years, while that of non-union programs is just over 6 years.
The study provides significant findings as the need for effective and successful apprenticeship programs is vital to meeting the demand for a highly skilled and trained workforce in the construction industry.

Mary Vogel, Executive Director of The Construction Institute, a labor-management group based in Boston, says "the union sector's unmatched focus on training helps raise the standards for the industry, increases job site safety, and ensures that our work product continues to be the best in the world. Our contractors benefit because they are able to recruit high quality craftspeople and their customers benefit because highly trained workers get the job done on time and on budget."

Tom Gunning, Executive Director of the Building Trades Employers Association, agreed. "From our apprenticeship programs to ongoing journey worker upgrade training and certification classes, our union training centers produce the most highly skilled workers in the state".

Union Apprentices spend three to five years in classroom and on-the-job training. Programs equip apprentices with the education and skills needed to become credentialed in a specific trade or craft. Challenging apprenticeship programs instill integrity, work ethic, safety and pride in each and every crafts man or woman. Many Massachusetts union apprentice programs offer or are establishing college credit for their apprenticeship training through articulation agreements with community or 4-year colleges.

Press Conference Speakers: Susan Moir, Director, Labor Resource Center, UMASS Boston;
Anneta Argyres, Program Manager, LRS, UMASS Boston; Mary Vogel, Executive Director, The Construction Institute; Frank Callahan, President, Mass Building Trades; Hugh Kelleher, Exec. Director, PHCC; George Noel, Director, Dpt. Of Labor


 
     ©2008 The Construction Institute