First Apprentices Graduate from Vermont’s Newest Multi-Employer Commercial Craft Apprenticeship Program

Graduating Class includes Three Vermonters from Two Employers

 

Burlington, VT (June 20) – Associated Builders & Contractors NH/VT Chapter (ABC) and ReSOURCE conducted a graduation ceremony, June 20, for three apprentices graduating from the inaugural class of the association’s new carpentry apprentice program. 

 

“We are excited for the graduates of our carpentry apprenticeship program,” said Josh Reap, President & CEO of ABC. “They came into this program with an interest and today graduate as journeyworkers in their craft. These individuals chose to be part of something bigger than themselves and we are proud of them!”

 

"Taking this course gave me an opportunity to learn the more academic side of the trades,” said Caley Martin, an apprentice with Bread Loaf Corporation. “Getting to learn the same subject at the same time as my peers enabled us to reinforce each other's learning. The wonderful instructors kept it interesting and helped us get a holistic understanding of the building trades from foundation to roof. I hope more students are able to get this opportunity. Big thanks to Bread Loaf for enrolling me."

 

The Commercial Craft Apprenticeship Program teaches apprentices carpentry skills in a safe, controlled environment. Registered apprenticeship helps people develop their craft faster than stand alone on the job training.

 

“ReSOURCE has experience empowering individuals and strengthening Vermont through workforce development. We are proud to be a leading the instruction for this growing apprenticeship program. Each person that enters an apprenticeship program is on the path to earning competitive salary, learning new skills, and answering the call to help solve the construction industry’s workforce shortage.”  --Tom Longstreth, Executive Director of ReSOURCE

 

The program required students to complete 310 hours of classroom instruction while working full time for 18 months. Over the course of the program, apprentices also receive wage increases as they master their skills. The program  is jointly run by ABC and ReSOURCE and includes several Vermont general contractors that want to solve the workforce shortage by taking an active role in training Vermonters who want to get into a construction career.

 

"Completing this construction apprenticeship program has taught me proper technique and skills crucial for success in my career. Furthermore, I gained a deeper appreciation for teamwork and the thorough process necessary for completing a successful project,” said Trenten Mead, Carpenter Apprentice with ReArch Company.  I’m eager to apply what I’ve learned and be a greater asset in the field. This graduation is just the beginning of the meticulous process of mastering carpentry.”

 

"Congratulations to all the graduates! As you step into your careers, remember that the skills you've acquired are not just for building structures but for building your future. We are excited to see the remarkable contributions you will make to the construction industry,” said John Illick, CEO of ReArch Company. “Endless job opportunities are available to apprentice graduates and those interested in pursuing a career in the skilled trades. Here’s to the builders of tomorrow and improving lives through the built environment.”

 

“The State of Vermont is a great partner in helping employers build programs like this, which people skill new hires and upskill incumbent employees,” added Josh Reap. “With their help, we are changing lives more and more for the better. In fact, the second class of apprentices currently numbers nearly two dozen individuals and they will graduate next year. As the program continues to grow, so do the opportunity for careers in a great industry.”

 

Employers and jobseekers interested in the program can learn more by visiting www.abcnhvt.org or www.resourcevt.org

 

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ABC NH/VT represents 270 firms in Northern New England. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC NH/VT is a chapter of the national Associated Builders & Contractors, and has the mission of helping members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically, profitably and for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. ABC's membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors.

 

ReSOURCE has been a fixture in Vermont since 1991, empowering individuals and strengthening Vermont communities through Workforce Development, Poverty Relief, and Environmental Stewardship. ReSOURCE is intentionally located in areas with the most need to expand its community impact and increase accessibility for the most disadvantaged Vermont communities. ReSOURCE’s stores and services are open to the public, serving 100,000 people each year and salvaging more than 1,000 tons of diverted waste each year from the landfill. Sales from reuse stores provide poverty relief through the Essential Goods programs—giving free household goods to more than 1,500 people and their families each year and provide funding for our Workforce Development Training programs—directly training over 250 people on average each year, matching Vermont’s urgent need for skilled workers with the training and support local employers need. ReSOURCE excels at adapting to community needs, and as Vermont’s un-and-under employed population has shifted to include more new Americans and Vermonters with disabilities, ReSOURCE has continued to evolve its job skills training to help more Vermonters prepare for and enter the workforce.