Dale Belman is Professor Emeritus of Labor and Industrial Relations at Michigan State University and is the Past President at the Institute for Construction Economic Research. He recently authored a report: Registered Apprenticeship In Construction: Built To Last?, which reads in part: Apprenticeship is advantageous to employers in industries such as construction that require high levels of skill, but in which firms are small, employment can be intermittent, and where the industry is subject to volatile swings of the business cycle. In another benefit to participating employers, joint (meaning multi-employer, Labor-Management) Apprenticeship Programs share both the risks and costs of training among multiple employers and between employers and Craft Workers (Journey Workers and Apprentices). This cost sharing, along with the sharing of a trained Labor Force and the ability of firms to adjust the number of Employees to meet project needs, makes the Construction Industry nimble in adjusting to swings in firms’ project loads and industry demand. In an industry dominated by small firms, few individual firms could afford the costs of an Apprenticeship Program, but through shared training costs and a common workforce, signatory employers have found Registered Apprenticeship as a key to success in the Construction Industry. The History of Registered Apprenticeship Registered Apprenticeship is a well-regarded institution that provides workers with job training and advanced skills, connects Apprentices with employers, and provides solid Middle-Class wages and careers. A 2012 study by Mathematica reported that individuals who completed a Registered Apprenticeship Program earned $240,000 more over their working lives than similar non-participants. Even those who did not complete their Apprenticeship Programs boosted their lifetime earnings by $98,000 over non-participants. Most Building Trades Unions, for example, provide the skills and knowledge needed for Craftworkers to establish and own companies when they complete their Apprenticeship. These programs, in other words, provide explicit training to Journey Workers to support their moving into the ranks of managers and business owners.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Report, Go To: Registered-Apprenticeship-in-Construction-Built-to-Last.pdf