Builders Guild Reaching Out to Minority Community

Pittsburgh, PA – The Builders Guild of Western Pennsylvania, Inc., a non-profit labor/management initiative of building trade workers and contractors, is reaching out to the minority community and others to help encourage young men and women to pursue a rewarding career in the building trades.

“With the current and impending boom in construction and as the local building trade workforce ages, we need to attract more young men and women into the building trades,” said Jason Fincke, executive director of the Builders Guild. “There are great opportunities for men and women on the horizon who have the discipline and desire to learn a skill and pursue a career that that will serve them for life.”

Between now and next year, over 1,000 skilled workers will be needed to help meet the demand that is being created in the construction industry. Projects such as the new multi-purpose arena and gaming casino, and plans for new medical, educational and residential facilities are providing a demand for skilled workers that is expected to continue for at least the next five to 10 years.

To help recruit minorities and other men and women, the Builders Guild, along with the Sports & Exhibition Authority and other agencies, will be hosting a series of 11 community workshops to educate men and women on how to pursue a career in the building trades and other job opportunities. The workshops will kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 1, 2007 at the Rankin Christian Center, located at 230 3rd Avenue, in Rankin.

In addition to the Builders Guild and Sports & Exhibition Authority, which is overseeing construction of Pittsburgh’s new multi-purpose arena, speakers will include representatives from two pre-apprenticeship training programs: the Minority and Women Labor Education Agency (MWELA) and Renaissance III 2000; Adult Basic and Literacy Education; and CareerLink.

“With the emphasis placed on college, too many young men and women fail to consider the educational opportunities and financial rewards available through local union apprenticeship schools,” Mr. Fincke said. “We have some of the finest training centers in the country, where men and women can attend class while at the same time receive on the job training. Unlike college, however, where most students will pay on the average from $5,000 to $30,000 a year, our students’ education is tuition free.”

Starting apprentices in any of the area’s 17 apprenticeship programs earn over $10 an hour with annual increases as they proceed through the programs. During this time, they also receive excellent health care and other benefits that are not available to many employees in other more traditional ‘college taught’ professions. Like college, most apprenticeship programs take from three to five years to complete and continuous training is available to most workers throughout their lifetime at no additional cost.

Harold McDonald, a minority member of the Greater Pennsylvania Regional Council of Carpenters, began his apprenticeship training in 1974. During his 33-year career, he helped build many of Western Pennsylvania’s outstanding facilities, including the Downtown subway, McGee-Womens and UPMC Presbyterian hospitals in Oakland, the Doubletree Hotel and Suites, and the Equitable Gas Building, among others. Today, he’s a Council Representative, who helps recruit and find work for over 8,000 active union carpenters.

“Learning carpentry gave me the opportunity to master a skill and earn an income that has enabled me to raise a family and enjoy life,” Mr. McDonald said. “It also gives me a great sense of pride when I see the buildings that I helped erect, and how my skills have benefited the community.”

Ron Sapp, a 34-year minority member of Operating Engineers Local #66, also helps recruit men and women who have in interest in operating heavy equipment, such as bulldozers, backhoes and cranes.

“We have been very successful in attracting good minority candidates over the years,” Mr. Sapp said. “For those with the desire, we can provide a great career that is never dull or boring.”

To pursue a career in the building trades, persons must generally:

• Be 18 years of age;
• Have a high school diploma or GED;
• Possess a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license;
• Have their own means of transportation; and
• Be drug free.

Potential apprentices must also possess good math and reading comprehension skills. After applying at any of the 17 local union trade schools, candidates will be required to pass a general aptitude test. For those men and women who are concerned about their ability to pass such a test, there are organizations available that can offer assistance at no cost. Among them is the Minority and Women Educational Labor Agency, which offers a 15-week course that is geared solely to preparing men and women for a career in the building trades. Classes are offered in the Manchester section of the City of Pittsburgh and are free.

Renaissance III 2000 is another organization which works with the Community College of Allegheny County to offer similar pre-apprenticeship training.

For information on these programs or how to apply to a union apprenticeship school, candidates can call the Builders Guild at 412-921-9000 or log onto www.buildersguild.org.

For more information call Kathy Zarisnak at 412-921-9000

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
This is a list of the 11 community workshops scheduled for August.

Neighborhood	Location	Date	Time
Rankin	Rankin Christian Center 230 3rd Avenue Rankin, PA 15104	Wednesday, Aug. 1	6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
East End	Kingsley Center 6435 Frankstown Road Pittsburgh, PA 15206	Thursday, Aug. 2	6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
McKeesport	YWCA McKeesport 410 Ninth Street McKeesport, PA 15132	Monday, Aug. 6	6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
McKees Rocks	Hays Manor Community Center 205 Locust Street McKees Rocks, PA 15136	Tuesday, Aug. 7	6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Wilkinsburg	Mt. Gilead Community Center 740 South Avenue Wilkinsburg, PA 15233	Wednesday, Aug. 8	6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
North Side	Manchester Citizens Corp. 1319 Allegheny Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233	Thursday, Aug. 9	6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Natrona Heights	Sheldon Park Community Center 480 Park Avenue Natrona Heights, PA 15065	Tuesday, Aug. 14	6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Downtown	Hill House 1835 Centre Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219	Wednesday, Aug. 15	6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
West End	West End Senior Center 80 Wabash Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15220	Thursday, Aug. 16	2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
South Side	Warrington Recreation Center 329 East Warrington Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15210	Tuesday, Aug. 21	6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Penn Hills	Lincoln Park Community Center 7311 Ridgeview Avenue Penn Hills, PA 15235	Thursday, Aug. 23	6:30 – 7:30 p.m.