The union’s training grounds sprawl across 400 acres east of Hinckley. The $10 million facility opened in 2006, and some 5,000 people pass through annually.
#NAW2016: Apprenticeship helps MN manufacturers boost skills, stay competitive
November 17, 2016 by
About 85 percent of registered apprentices in Minnesota are employed in the construction trades, but federal grant funds are helping more of the state’s manufacturers harness the power of apprenticeship to boost their employees’ skills – and remain competitive in a global economy. Hood Packaging is among a growing number of firms taking advantage […]
Native pride meets union pride in Cement Masons’ training program
August 2, 2016 by
NEW BRIGHTON – As the first trickle of mud oozed out of the concrete truck’s chute, 13 trainees dressed in hardhats, safety vests and tall rubber boots sprung into action, using shovels and trowels to distribute the concrete evenly across 13 rectangular slabs. The July heat was pushing 90 degrees, and the trainees, participants […]
Ken Peterson: Apprenticeship training meets workforce needs of today and tomorrow
November 5, 2015 by
Minnesota’s workforce is experiencing tremendous transition. Thousands of our experienced baby boomers are retiring, while many employers are seeking a workforce capable of meeting increased levels of skill to operate new technologies with precision. An emerging, yet familiar, pathway for some employers to successfully bridge that gap is registered apprenticeship programs. Registered apprenticeship programs have […]
Minnesotan named North America’s top tile apprentice
October 27, 2015 by
The trophy on display in Local 1’s New Hope training center may be small, but the accomplishment behind it – Brandon Peterson’s first-place finish in the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers’ International Apprentice Contest – is as grand as they come. Peterson, a 33-year-old apprentice tile setter from Ham Lake, advanced from local and regional tiling competitions […]
With new facility, St. Paul Pipefitters double down on commitment to training
October 23, 2015 by
A tenant for 111 years, St. Paul Pipefitters Local 455 finally has a home of its own. The union held an open house at its new facility at 1301 L’Orient Street in St. Paul yesterday, celebrating with apprentices, members, retirees, public officials and union leaders. Local 455 acquired the property – a former fabricating […]
Looking to ‘step up our game,’ Ironworkers open new training center in St. Paul
August 26, 2015 by
Calling it an investment critical to the union’s survival, Ironworkers Local 512 Business Manager Charlie Roberts cut the ribbon on a new $3.1 million apprenticeship training center in St. Paul yesterday. A large crowd of journey-level, apprentice and retired Ironworkers attended the ceremony, which marked the completion of Local 512’s 18,000-square-foot facility on Pierce […]
With boost from WESA, training program puts women on path to apprenticeship
June 24, 2015 by
Analise Adams, a 22-year-old from Minneapolis, was working in a Linden Hills childcare center two months ago. When her aunt, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, told her about a free training opportunity for women considering careers in construction, Adams decided to take a chance. She quit her childcare job and […]
Labor federation looks to put union members on ‘Path to Power’
January 28, 2015 by
Lynn Barten stood up in a conference room Sunday morning in St. Paul and gave a stump speech for a campaign she isn’t running – not yet, anyway – before a roomful of people who couldn’t vote for her anyway. Barten, an AFSCME member from Alexandria, was one of more than 70 people who enrolled […]
Minnesota AFL-CIO sponsors candidate training
January 7, 2015 by
As part of its Path to Power program, the Minnesota AFL-CIO will sponsor a two-day training to equip potential candidates for public office with the tools they need to win and be an effective advocate for workers once elected. Workshops will focus on developing a message, building a campaign team, raising money and targeting voters, […]
Union Advocate 