Twenty-two participants graduated Saturday from a special
‘pre-apprenticeship’ training program
Twenty-two participants graduated Saturday from a special ‘pre-apprenticeship’ Morgan Hill – Traci McCullough can’t wait to start her brand new career. The former accountant hopes to find herself working as a professional carpenter, a field usually thought of as the domain of men, but which is fast growing in opportunities for women.
McCullough is one of 22 graduates who will received their diplomas in Morgan Hill Saturday from a special “pre-apprenticeship” training program run by the Carpenters Training Committee of Northern California (CTCNC), a carpenters union. Called the Educational Opportunity Youth Consortium program, it gives potential carpenters from Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties a solid foundation in skills they’ll need to make a living in the demanding construction business.
McCullough’s eyes shine with pride as she talks about her education during the last eight weeks.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for everyone,” she said. “The instructors are great and I’ve learned a lot. Accounting came to me so easily, but with carpentry, you get to see what you’ve built. And later, I’ll go down the street and say, ‘I built that!’ ”
After serving time at the Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, McCullough sees the training as a way to get a second chance at life. As an apprentice carpenter, she says she can expect to make about $19.35 an hour, plus benefits.
Paula Resa, director of the CTCNC training facility in Morgan Hill, says that the pre-apprentice training is a relatively new pilot program that gives participants the extra boost and foundation skills they need to get into the construction business. The participants are not paid when they take the training, she said, and must be in class from 7am to 3:30pm five days a week. The training is paid for by the employers and members of the union.
The demographics of participants range across the board. Some are in their early 20s and just starting out, while others are in their mid-50s looking for a new career, Resa said.
Many pre-apprentice trainees learn that the reality of a construction job site is that it’s dirty, noisy place and often involves heavy lifting of materials. Some realize that a career in construction is not for them and drop out, Resa said.
Despite the traditional stereotype of construction being a “man’s job,” many women are now finding that the construction site is a good place for them to make their careers, Resa said. The CTCNC director herself once worked in construction and believes that the pre-apprentice training gives women an excellent way to start their careers because they know what to expect before going on site.
“When I started as an apprentice many years ago, I had no background in construction,” she said. “I was totally green and was at everyone’s mercy. Now, these people are going to have a better experience, I think, because they’re getting some mentoring and using the hand-tools and learning the terminology.”
Employers find that the pre-apprentice program provides them with better workers, she said.
“What we’re hearing from employers for the most part is that they’re really pleased with the students who come out and that they hire because they are very, very disciplined,” she said.
One student who graduated Saturday is Carl Peralta of Gilroy. Aged 34, he left an 11-year career as a manager at various retail stores at the Gilroy Outlets to start anew in a career in carpentry.
Peralta applied four years ago for the program and was put on a waiting list, he explained. With the moral support of his family, he said he now looks forward to working with his hands as an apprentice for the next four years.
“It’s more physical (than retail) but yet for me in my past experience, it’s really not difficult because it requires people skills to be effective,” he said. “It’s enjoyable. If you’ve got the right outlook and the right attitude, that helps.”
He believes the current job market makes it an excellent time to get into construction because the Bay Area will see many new construction project in the coming years.
Marilyn Baker, age 26, of San Jose also sees the opportunities for herself in her new construction career. She particularly likes the fact she’ll be doing manual labor.
“I don’t like being in an office,” she said. “I like working with my hands. It’s a new start for me. It builds responsibility and pride and it’s a great future with the pay and benefits.
Saturday’s graduation means she’s closing in on her goal. “This is the first time I’ve ever finished anything,” she said. “I’ve turned my life around with this program.”
