Resident Apprenticeship Demonstration Program of the America Works Partnership

Program Title Resident Apprenticeship Demonstration Program of the America Works Partnership

Location The program has been operating in 21 demonstration cities since 1995, including Buffalo, St. Louis, New Haven, and San Francisco.

Current Status

Objectives The program offers training tied to careers with living wages for residents of communities America Works serves.

Target Population 30% of trainees are women, 85% are people of color, and all are low income

Providers/Partners America Works Partnership International Painters, Sheet Metal and Carpenters Unions

Program Design The number of hours per week and the total length of the program vary from site to site, however typically training is 10-20 weeks, 20-40 hours per week. The program includes:

Pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training for residents of low-income communities
Construction career opportunities in the public and private sector
Coordination of community and private development projects
Investment standards for community development projects that commit to the program's training-to-jobs model
Technical assistance to community-based partnerships
Creation of community-based affiliates to carry out these activities
Encouraging union to make pension funds available for community investments and residential mortgages

Curriculum The training includes:

life skills
basic skills instruction
preapprenticehsip training in the construction trades
placement in an apprenticeship with local building trades unions
job placement

Key Features In some cities, community-based organizations assist in the remedial education. In others, the unions themselves perform all remediation services. Support services needs such as child care and transportation are provided. The partnerships try to identify in advance job opportunities that participants can move into at the end of the program, including persuading agencies, contractors, and unions to dedicate a certain number of construction jobs in a community to qualified residents. They also seek to establish access to loans and bonding collateral for small businesses and minority contractors.

Results 485 residents have enrolled in the program since it began 11/96. 62 residents are still in training. 54% of those who enrolled have graduated to the apprenticeship level and 82% of graduates have been placed in jobs.

Program Costs

Funding Sources Unique by an innovative mix of federal housing funds, local bank loans, state and local public works funds, and loans from union pension funds.

Key Contacts Edward Gorman, President of the America Works Partnership, (202)639-8811

| Home |
| Project Overview | Chicago Site | Detroit Site |
| Resources | Contact Us |

Program Title	Resident Apprenticeship Demonstration Program of the America Works Partnership
Location	The program has been operating in 21 demonstration cities since 1995, including Buffalo, St. Louis, New Haven, and San Francisco.
Current Status
Objectives	The program offers training tied to careers with living wages for residents of communities America Works serves.
Target Population	30% of trainees are women, 85% are people of color, and all are low income
Providers/Partners	America Works Partnership International Painters, Sheet Metal and Carpenters Unions
Program Design	The number of hours per week and the total length of the program vary from site to site, however typically training is 10-20 weeks, 20-40 hours per week. The program includes: Pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training for residents of low-income communities Construction career opportunities in the public and private sector Coordination of community and private development projects Investment standards for community development projects that commit to the program's training-to-jobs model Technical assistance to community-based partnerships Creation of community-based affiliates to carry out these activities Encouraging union to make pension funds available for community investments and residential mortgages
Curriculum	The training includes: life skills basic skills instruction preapprenticehsip training in the construction trades placement in an apprenticeship with local building trades unions job placement
Key Features	In some cities, community-based organizations assist in the remedial education. In others, the unions themselves perform all remediation services. Support services needs such as child care and transportation are provided. The partnerships try to identify in advance job opportunities that participants can move into at the end of the program, including persuading agencies, contractors, and unions to dedicate a certain number of construction jobs in a community to qualified residents. They also seek to establish access to loans and bonding collateral for small businesses and minority contractors.
Results	485 residents have enrolled in the program since it began 11/96. 62 residents are still in training. 54% of those who enrolled have graduated to the apprenticeship level and 82% of graduates have been placed in jobs.
Program Costs
Funding Sources	Unique by an innovative mix of federal housing funds, local bank loans, state and local public works funds, and loans from union pension funds.
Key Contacts	Edward Gorman, President of the America Works Partnership, (202)639-8811