Youth apprenticeship key to recruiting the best talent
Construction is the fastest growing sector of our state’s economy. Almost every day, we hear industry professionals express concern that they won’t be able to find workers with essential skills for projects.
While it is true that the construction industry needs to recruit more workers, it is equally true that skilled craft unions like UA Local 400 Pipe Trades and their signatory employers are not struggling nearly as much as its non-union peers because it has developed a successful model that’s competitive in the labor market and expanding the diversity of the workforce.
Over the past decade, budget cutbacks have severely reduced technology education classes and resources in the public schools, so UA Local 400 stepped in to help. The Kaukauna-based union believes the data which shows that attending college is not the only pathway to a successful career, and that’s why UA works with local schools to help educate students and parents on the benefits of joint labor-management apprenticeships.
In 2016, UA Local 400 developed an initiative to address the looming labor shortage by introducing its Youth Apprentice Program (YAP), along with the launch of its Mobile Training Trailer that regularly visits local middle and high schools, technical colleges, and career fairs. Today, the YAP is the centerpiece of its recruiting effort. In the 2022 class of 88 new apprentices, 17 percent of them were previously a youth apprentice with a UA Local 400 signatory contractor.
Another method UA Local 400 uses to educate students on careers in the pipe trades and recruit new talent is through its signature events — Kick Off Your Future Competition, Women in the Pipe Trades and High School Open Houses — held each year at the group’s 61,000-square-foot training center.
In 2020, UA Local 400 launched its Online Career Portal, which is the entry point for anyone looking for a career in the pipe trades. Last year alone, 500+ applicants came through the UA Local 400 Career Portal, providing a streamlined and convenient experience for employers
to review and hire applicants.
UA Local 400 and its signatory contractors work in tandem to develop a strong pipeline of highly trained trades apprentices and recruit the next generation of skilled plumbers, pipefitters, HVAC service technicians and fabricators. Through technology and engagement, UA Local 400 is committed to continued growth and actively working to make the industry more inclusive and representative of the communities it represents. When you partner with UA Local 400 and its 2,400 members, you can always expect a great workforce, great skill and great value.
2700 Northridge Dr. • Kaukauna, WI 54130 • 920-462-0400 • ua400.org • career@ua400.org
