Pre-apprenticeship: Better Done Than Said
The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers of Wisconsin (BACWI) New Berlin training center offers pre-apprenticeship training classes each year. The training center is one of 12 International Masonry Institute (IMI) satellite training centers across the United States.
Mark Graf, bricklaying instructor and training coordinator for IMI, feels that BACWI is fortunate to have one of the 12 training facilities. Graf says the purpose of the training is to ensure individuals entering a career in union construction are up to speed on certain industry-related terms, safety training and technical aspects of the trade.
“Familiarizing yourself with the tools and the industry helps an individual become a contributing member of a construction team,” explains Graf. “Our goal is to give someone the confidence and ability to use their skills and general knowledge on a daily basis.”
The pre-apprenticeship training classes are held during the slow winter months. Classes are 40 hours a week with only one hour held in a classroom. The rest of the time is spent doing hands-on training and mastering specific bricklaying tools.
BACWI relies on word of mouth from its members and friends to obtain new recruits and coordinators attend career fairs to help secure the bricklayers future in the construction industry.
To find out more about the BACWI pre-apprenticeship training class or the many other JAC pre-apprenticeship training classes, please visit buildingadvantage.org.
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