No, the purpose of the apprenticeship program is to teach unskilled workers the skills and safety requirements needed to become an Ohio Laborer. If you do have documentation of previous experience, that can potentially be applied to your required on-the-job and training hours.

An Ohio Laborer, or a Construction Craft Laborer (CCL) is a skill trades worker that works in North America’s largest industry – the construction industry. The skills of Ohio Laborers are diverse, requiring classroom instruction and hands-on-training. Because of this diversity, Laborers are often the most in demand craft and is first on the project and the last to leave. A model Laborer requires physical strength, reading and math skills, and the ability to make decisions. Laborers need to be able to work on their own and on a team to get the job done.

The kind of work you will do depends on your knowledge and skill level and the type of work needed at a job site. You may build and repair roads, highways, bridges, and tunnels, construct residential and commercial buildings, install gas distribution and gas transmission lines, or perform other kinds of work. Among the tasks you may be doing are drilling and blasting site areas, building scaffolds, preparing and cleaning up a job site, laying pipe underground, placing concrete, flagging and controlling traffic on highways, and removing asbestos and lead from buildings, to name just a few. 

You will work with an experienced Laborer – known as a Journeyman.  They will mentor and instruct you on the various aspects and skills of being a successful Ohio Laborer. You will be expected to give a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay, and be at the job every workday, and on time. You will be working both indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions, performing physical tasks using your technical skills.

You enter the trade as an “apprentice,” learning skills in the classroom and on the job. While an apprentice, you’ll learn skills by attending a minimum of 432 hours of classroom training. You’ll practice those skills with a skilled journey worker for 4,000 hours of on-the-job training – earning a wage while learning the trade.

Yes. After you complete the Apprenticeship Program, you may take additional courses at Drexel J. Thrash Training Center, also at no additional cost.

Yes. The Apprenticeship Program established a reciprocity agreement with the Cuyahoga Community College, leading toward an associates degree. In addition, completion of the Apprenticeship Program entitles a graduate to one of two years of college credits. These credits may be transferable to a two-or-four year college in your area.

You will start at 60% of a journeyworkers’ rate and then receive 10% increases after every 1,000 hours of work and attending 144 hours-of-classroom training. The chart below illustrates the process: 

No, apprentices are referred out to work through Local Unions. Like all Laborers, there may be times when an appropriate job assignment is not immediately available.

After 450 hours have been completed and paid into the health insurance fund.

Becoming a Union Laborer Apprentice  can be one of the most important decisions of your life, especially in your working career. Joining LIUNA-the Laborers’ International Union of North America-will enable you to earn a good wage and receive the following benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Job Training
• Life-long Training & Education
• Retirement Pension Plan