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Building trades tell Richmond councils apprenticeships can lead to living-wage careers
Summary
The Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council told the RNCC on March 9 that apprenticeship pathways and local-hire agreements connect training programs (Richmond Build, Youth Build, Kennedy High) to jobs on public projects; union representatives encouraged residents to consider career-track apprenticeships.
Tim Sabbrranny, introduced at the RNCC meeting as executive director of the Contra Costa Building Construction Trades Council, told neighborhood leaders the council represents 20 affiliated trade unions and promotes apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship training as paths to stable, middle-class careers.
“We are about careers, careers, careers,” Sabbrranny said, outlining apprenticeship pipelines, partnerships with Richmond Build and Youth Build, and a nonprofit training arm (CTWI) that prepares candidates for entry into union programs. He said the council has been working with local partners to place apprentices on larger public projects and described hiring-hall and community-benefit approaches for projects typically above a million-dollar threshold.
Sabbrranny listed recent outcomes and training partners: “582 apprentices just in West Contra Costa; the vast majority of those here in the city of Richmond. 74 of those come from Richmond Build,” he said, emphasizing the role of local training programs and high-school pathways such as Kennedy High’s growing construction-program classes.
Attendees asked practical questions about eligibility and program age ranges. The trades representative said youth programs typically serve people up to age 24, while many apprenticeship opportunities are open to mid-career entrants and veterans through initiatives such as Helmets to Hardhats.
Retired union leader Don Gazdy urged neighbors to consider apprenticeship tests and promoted union pay and benefits. “We start apprentices out … in the neighborhood of $70,000 a year,” Gazdy said, adding his view of journeyman pay: “As a journeyman, they’re going to be making right now about $180,000 a year,” remarks he made from the floor and encouraged listeners to sign up for testing online.
Sabbrranny and audience members noted upcoming outreach and recruiting opportunities: a construction trades fair in San Pablo (April 16) and an in-city fair (April 29); the trades council commits to sharing contact lists and electronic handouts with neighborhood leadership.
Neighborhood leaders and retired tradespeople gave testimony about apprenticeships’ role in housing access and earning power. The session included practical guidance about drug testing requirements, transportation, and the need for pre-apprenticeship readiness training (math and work-readiness skills) for candidates.
Next steps: the trades council will provide electronic materials and contact lists for neighborhood councils and attend local job fairs and events to recruit and inform residents about apprenticeship pathways.
