Mike Matejka is a retired Laborers Local 362 Member and once served as Editor of The Grand Prairie Union News.  His Labor Perspective on Apprenticeship recently appeared in The Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois, and reads - in part: This past year our local Construction Unions have enlisted almost 200 new Apprentices.  The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers currently has 92 Apprentices, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 99 has 68 - and is currently taking 21, and Laborers Local 362 has 56.  A Union Trade Apprenticeship is a three-to-five-year commitment.  Apprentices “earn while they learn” while also attending high-quality training.  There are no student loans and many Apprentices are already buying homes even before they complete their training.  Apprentices can start at approximately $25 per hour and at completion will be over $30-plus hourly.  Plus, Union programs offer family health insurance and a retirement pension.  The basic qualifications are age 18, a valid Illinois driver’s license and a high school diploma or GED.  Apprentices must pass drug tests and have an eager readiness to learn and pitch in.  Construction is a unique blend of physical and mental work, as problem-solving is as much of the job as physical labor.  It’s great when a new business is welcomed to McLean County.  Just as the community welcomes new businesses, the community should also support the local Trades, decent wages and Apprenticeship opportunities.

To Read Matejka’s Labor Perspective In Its Entirety, Go To: Mike Matejka: Apprenticeship the union path to decent jobs (pantagraph.com)