Application Deadlines Coming Up for Construction Apprenticeship Programs

With construction season right around the corner, now is the time to start preparing to make the jump – putting in your application to begin an apprenticeship program with a Minnesota building and construction trade union.

Stay ahead of the deadlines, prepare your application and put your best foot forward. Apply early to receive word back and connect with a signatory contractor or union training director to start earning a good salary and great benefits.

The Construction Careers Foundation, which is dedicated to helping connect Minnesota’s young people with careers in construction, has compiled a list of upcoming apprenticeship deadlines. It’s important to note: some construction trades unions only open up their apprenticeship programs once or twice a year, so if there’s a specific trade to which you would like to apply, you need to keep a close watch for these deadlines.

By the way, to keep abreast of the latest apprenticeship application deadlines, don’t forget to download Minnesota’s first free Construction Trades app (available on the App Store and Google Play) to personalize your career search and receive information on more than 30 different apprenticeship programs.

Before you apply for a Minnesota construction trades apprenticeship, be aware of the following requirements, which apply to nearly every Minnesota construction trade union:

• You must be 18 years of age
• Must have sufficient physical fitness to perform required work
• Have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. certificate
• Be a U.S. citizen or in the process of naturalization
• Participate in a personal interview
• Pass an assessment exam (required for some unions)

For more information about apprenticeships and their qualifications, visit the Apprenticeship page of ConstructionCareers.org.

 

Apprenticeship Deadlines 2021

February Deadlines:

Plumbers & Steamfitters #589 No. MN
Northern Mechanical & Iron Range Plumbing & Pipefitting JATC offers apprenticeship training services for:

• Plumbers
• Pipefitters and Steamfitters
• HVAC Technicians

Applications accepted all year. For accepted applicants, the next interview panel sessions will be held in April. Link to application.

March Deadlines:

Plumbers & Pipefitters #6 Rochester
Connect with apprenticeship coordinator Jeremy Thompson (507-288-4172 or
jeremy@ualocal6.org) to find a contractor and apply. Link to application.

IBEW International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers #160 and #343
Electricians repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools. Accepts applications year round. Assessment tests are offered every 2-3 months, followed by an in-person interview.

Teamsters #346
Teamsters are construction drivers who work with a variety of construction equipment including tractor-trailers; flatbeds or lowboy trailers; mixer trucks and more.
The apprenticeship and training program are administered jointly by management and labor to provide uniformed and organized training for Minnesota Teamsters Local 120 (Twin Cities) and Local 346 (Duluth). Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, actual training dates need to be confirmed for the 2021 season, However, training typically begins Mid-March of every calendar year. Link to application.

April Deadlines:

BAC Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Training Center Local 1
Bricklayers, also known as blockmasons or brickmasons, build walls, chimneys, fences and other structures. Accepts applications year round. Apply now (before April 1, 2021) to be eligible for next training session beginning June 3, 2021.

Pipefitters #455 St. Paul/Mankato
Accepts applications year round. After completing an application, schedule and take an assessment test at Saint Paul College. Complete the application and assessment test by the first week in April to be eligible for training in 2021.

May Deadlines:

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49
Operating engineers have a variety of duties on construction sites, including controlling and driving heavy machinery. Accepts applications year round. A mandatory orientation meeting is required as part of the application process.

Scholarships are available. To be considered, your apprenticeship and scholarship application must be received in Local 49’s Main Office postmarked by May 1st (each year). Link to scholarship application.

September Deadlines:

Plumbers #34 St. Paul/Mankato
Apply through Saint Paul college. You may be required to enroll in a course or take an aptitude test. The course and/or aptitude test must be completed (with the application) by first week in September, 2021. All applicants who apply will be invited for an interview in October. Pre-apprenticeship courses start in January of each year.

 

Open Apprenticeship Applications:

Laborers (LIUNA!) Training Center of Minnesota and North Dakota 
A construction laborer or construction worker does physical labor on construction sites.
First contact and apply for work through LIUNA’s signatory contractors list: https://liunacontractorsmnnd.org/. Then, a business manager will contact you to proceed through the apprenticeship application process.

Roofers #96
Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of buildings, using a variety of materials, including shingles, bitumen, and metal. Applicants must first be hired by a roofing or waterproofing firm and then they will be entered into the program. Contact Local 96 for a list of recommended roofing firms.

Applications for apprenticeship are taken year-round, by appointment.

To apply for a career with Roofers and  Waterproofers Local 96, call 763-230-7669 or email:

Twin Cities: Tristan tristan@rooferslocal96.com

St. Cloud: Tyler, tyler@rooferslocal96.com

Brainerd, Duluth, Iron Range: Ben, ben@rooferslocal96.com

Western Wisconsin: Nick, nick@rooferslocal96.com

Southeast Minnesota: Kelly, kelly@rooferslocal96.com

Sheet Metal #10
Applications for apprenticeship are taken year-round, by appointment. Please contact Local 10 at the address and phone number listed:
Sheet Metal Workers’ Local #10
1681 East Cope Avenue Suite A
Maplewood, Minnesota 55109
Office: 651-770-2388

Painters District Council #82
Finishing Trades (glaziers, glassworking, drywall, painters, wall coverers), District Council 82. Accepts applications year round.

Boilermakers #647
Applications for Construction Boilermaker Apprentice will be accepted by the Great Lakes Area Boilermakers Joint Apprenticeship Committee at the following locations, dates and times:
*Please note that all dates and times are subject to change due to COVID-19.
Call 763-276-5630 to verify dates.
201 NW 4th St., Ste. D, Grand Rapids, MN
Third Tuesday of Every Month – 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Local #647, 9459 NW Highway 10, Ramsey, MN
Third Tuesday of Every Month – 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Heat & Frost Insulators #34
Heat and frost insulators apply insulation materials to plumbing, air-handling, heating, cooling and refrigeration systems and more.
Interested individuals must come down to the hall to sign up with the apprenticeship program. Pre-Apprentice registration is conducted the first Tuesday of each month from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. After a person has expressed interest and has signed up with the Joint Apprenticeship Committee, their name will be added to the list of registrants.

If you have any further questions about the process or what work as an Insulator entails, please contact Eric Houske, the Apprenticeship Coordinator for Twin Cities Area Heat and Frost Insulators, Local 34 via phone or email.
Phone: 651-312-1249
Email: jac@insulators34.net

IBEW International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, St. Paul, IBEW 110

Accepts applications year round.

Cement Masons, Plasterers and Shophands, Local 633, JATC Training Center

Apply online, year-round. Apprenticeships offered after an apprentice is hired by a local contractor. List of contractors is available through the training633.org website, after an application is submitted online. Apprenticeship includes five week-long training sessions.

Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (Smart) Local 10

Accepts applications year round. Recommends high school students enter HVAC training program at Saint Paul College. After completing a nine-month long program at Saint Paul College, students enter Local 10’s apprenticeship program as a third-year apprentice.

Minnesota Statewide Limited Energy JATC

Accepts applications year round.

North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters

This program requires applicants to be hired by a contractor first. Contact Tim Stender at 651-341-4428 for details.

International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 9

Accepts applicants to its education and training program every two years. Go to https://www.neiep.org for more details.

 

Other Organizations:
Helmets to Hardhats Minnesota
This program specifically helps military veterans and those serving in the Reserves and National Guard with transitioning to careers in construction. Accepts applications year round.

 

Trade Schools:
Trade schools and community colleges offer another path to learning construction skills. Some trade apprenticeship programs have partnerships with community colleges, too.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
A number of Minnesota state community colleges offer courses and degree programs in specific skilled trades, as a HVAC installation and maintenance. Applications for programs starting generally to allow you to begin applying in the spring, right up to the beginning of the fall semester.

Dunwoody College of Technology
The Admissions Department is currently processing applications for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Contact the Admissions Office at admissions@dunwoody.edu or 612-381-3041 for more information.