Herkimer High School students got to learn about the benefits of a union job recently during a visit from a local labor union. Representatives spoke with students about union apprenticeship programs, which combine education and employment in fields such as plumbing, welding, construction and more.
Students entering an apprenticeship program out of high school have the opportunity to learn a trade while still earning wages, and without accumulating college debt, guidance counselor Bridgett Manley pointed out.
“We have a lot of very skilled, very dedicated students in our CTE programs,” Mrs. Manley said. “This is a good option to be aware of.”
Students left the session with contact information for trade unions throughout the state, and information about which unions represent the trades they are learning about in their CTE programs.
For a student who is already learning a skilled trade, “it’s one of the paths that’s open to them” in addition to colleges or certificate programs, Mrs. Manley said.
“By the time an individual has successfully completed the five year training program, he or she is qualified to meet any challenge in the field,” the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 112 website explains. “At Local Union 112 we know that these individuals are not only skilled workers but valuable ambassadors as well. Our commitment to training and excellence supports our claim that we are the best.”