Overview
The Laborers' apprenticeship program is for those with little or no experience in the construction trades who want to begin a career as a Construction Craft Laborer. It is a combination of 3,000 hours of work in the field and six weeks of school. It is comprised of six levels each lasting 500 hours which allows apprentices to perform many of the types of construction performed by Laborers such as pouring concrete, laying asphalt, installing storm drains and water mains, working on bridges and driving tunnels. Laborers also perform many safety-related duties such as flagging and traffic control.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible to join the apprenticeship program you must:
• Be at least 18 years old
• Have the ability to communicate safely on a jobsite
• Be physically able to perform the work of the craft
• Pass a drug test
• Have a valid California driver's license
Wages
Apprentices typically start out earning $17.48 per hour in the San Francisco Bay area and $16.83 in the San Joaquin Valley, South Bay areas such as Santa Cruz and Monterey and North Bay areas such as Santa Rosa and Vallejo. Apprentices may start out earning more if they are given credit for previous construction experience.
The Steps to Join the Program
You must first fill out and submit an application. Applications can be mailed to the address listed at the top of the application. Once the application is received and processed, you will be invited to a 1-day orientation. There, you will be given additional information about the program, participate in a hands-on skills assessment and be interviewed by a member of the apprenticeship program. Those who receive passing scores will be placed on the List of Eligibles.
How to Increase Your Chances for Acceptance
The Laborers Apprenticeship Program's Board of Trustees believes that completing a pre-apprenticeship program offers participants the best chance of being a successful apprentice. Because of this, graduates of approved pre-apprenticeship programs are given priority (direct entry) over those who have not completed such a program. Below is a list of approved pre-apprenticeship programs, one or more of which may be in your area. You are encouraged to contact one of these programs and ask how you can join. If you do not see one in your area, that means that as of now there are no approved pre-apprenticeship programs there and that nobody will be given priority placement over you.
Oakland/Alameda County
Cypress Mandela Training Center
(510) 208-7350
www.cypressmadela.org
San Francisco
City Build – Office of Economic Workforce Development
(415) 401-4889
www.oewd.org/Job-Seekers-and-Employers.aspx
Sacramento & Yolo Counties
Northern California Construction Training (NCCT)
(916) 387-1564
www.ncct.ws/
Sacramento County
Project STRIPE
(916) 484-8021
wserver.arc.losrios.edu/~stripe/
Placer County
CCC Placer Energy Center
(530) 823-4900
www.ccc.ca.gov/locations/Placer/Pages/placer.aspx
San Joaquin County
YouthBuild San Joaquin
(209) 468-5911
www.sjcoe.org/youthbuild/
