Carpenters, Laborers Unions Seek Apprentices

Two local unions are starting up recruitment periods for apprentices. The Labors Local 17 seeks 12 apprentices for the job of skilled construction craft laborer. The Northeast Carpenters are looking for five apprentice cabinetmakers.

The former has a very short timeframe and a strenuous physical strength and agility test. The latter will be open for a year and has a math and measurement computation exam.

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Skilled construction craft laborers

The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for Laborers, Local #17, will conduct a recruitment Feb. 4 - 15 for 12 skilled construction craft laborer apprentices.

Applications can be obtained from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday during the recruitment period at Local Union #17, 451-C Little Britain Road, Newburgh, NY.

Applications will be available and accepted for 10 business days, or until 100 applications have been issued, whichever comes first. Applications must be filled out at the office.

The Committee requires that applicants:

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must have a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma (such as TASC or GED).
• Must have reliable transportation to and from work and related instruction.
• Must be physically able to perform the work of a skilled construction craft laborer as determined by a physical agility test conducted by Local Union #17, which includes:
• Lifting and carrying 10 94-pound sacks 25 feet, and restacking to a height of approximately 54 inches.
• Mixing two bags of mortar, transferring it into buckets, and lifting buckets to a mason on a scaffold.
• Using a shovel to load a wheelbarrow with backfill material, pushing it 30 feet, and depositing the material into a 15-foot-long trench.
• Compacting soil using a vibratory compaction machine (jumping jack); backfilling soil six inches and re-tamping three times; backfilling another six inches and re-tamping three more times.
• Performing material handling tasks on a 10-foot scaffold.
• Removing blocks off of a forklift and restacking.
• Performing a routine inspection inside a mock confined space (find the hidden object).
• Breaking up a 5’x 10’ slab of concrete (with wire) using a 90-pound pavement breaker; cleaning up the pieces and disposing into a container.
• Loading bricks onto a wheelbarrow, navigating through an obstacle course, and unloading. Note: this task will be done in teams of two and will be timed individually.
• Walking on a treadmill for 1 mile at a speed of 3.2 mph.

Cabinetmakers

Meanwhile, the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for Northeast Carpenters Apprenticeship Fund will start a recruitment drive Jan. 28 for five cabinetmaker apprentices that will extend through Jan. 24, 2020.

Applications must be obtained in person at the following locations, from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays, during that period.

• Albany – Northeast Carpenters Training Center, 16 Corporate Circle, Albany, NY
• Hauppauge – Northeast Carpenters Training Center, 270 Motor Pkwy, Dept. B, Hauppauge, NY
• Hopewell Junction – Local 279, 10 Corporate Park Drive, Suite A, Hopewell Junction, NY
• Rochester – Northeast Carpenters Training Center, 21 Jet View Dr., Rochester, NY

This schedule is in effect throughout the recruitment period, excluding legal holidays.

Applicants should be prepared to take a math and measurement computation test at the time of application. Applicants also must bring their driver’s license or other state-issued ID card, at time of application, to verify residency.

The Committee requires that applicants:

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must have a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma (such as GED or TASC). Must provide proof of same from school prior to indenture.
• Must sign a statement indicating that they are physically able to perform the work of a Cabinetmaker, which includes:
• Performing constant repetitive motions.
• Standing and stooping for prolonged periods of time.
• Working in all types of weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold.
• Lifting and carrying objects over 50 lbs.
• Using stationary tools, portable hand tools, and power tools.
• Climbing and working from heights of at least 10 feet.
• Must live for at least 6 months within the geographical jurisdiction of the Northeast Carpenters Apprenticeship Committee, which includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester counties.
• Must provide DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, if applicable, after selection and prior to indenture.
• Must pass a drug test, at the expense of the sponsor, after selection and prior to indenture. If an applicant tests positive, they cannot reapply for one year.
• Must participate in an interview, if selected.
• Must have reliable transportation to and from worksites throughout the zoned areas and out of state related instruction classes.
• Must be willing and able to attend related instruction at a Northeast Carpenters Training Center in New Jersey, as required for four one-week periods, during each of the four years of apprenticeship.

For further information, applicants should contact their nearest New York State Department of Labor office or Northeast Carpenters Apprenticeship Fund at:

• Albany - (518) 438-0901
• Hauppauge - (631) 952-9555
• Rock Tavern - (845) 567-1810
• Rochester - (585) 436-1110

Apprentice programs registered with the Department of Labor must meet standards established by the Commissioner. Under state law, sponsors of programs cannot discriminate against applicants because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, or marital status. Women and minorities are encouraged to submit applications for apprenticeship programs. Sponsors of programs are required to adopt affirmative action plans for the recruitment of women and minorities.

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