Eight-week training program graduates five women
Morgan Hill – Traci McCullough can’t wait to start her new career. The former accountant hopes to soon find herself working in professional carpentry, a field usually thought of as the domain of men but which is fast growing in opportunities for women.
McCullough is one of 22 graduates who received their diplomas in Morgan Hill last Saturday from a special “pre-apprenticeship” training program run by the Carpenters Training Committee of Northern California , a carpenters union. Called the Educational Opportunity Youth Consortium program, it gives potential carpenters from Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties a solid foundation in skills they’ll need to make a living in the demanding construction business.
McCullough’s eyes shine with pride as she talks about her education during the last eight weeks.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for everyone,” she said. “The instructors are great, and I’ve learned a lot. It’s a challenge. Accounting came to me so easily, but with carpentry, you get to see what you’ve built. And later, I’ll go down the street and say, ‘I built that!’ ”
After serving time at the Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, McCullough sees the training as a way to get a second chance at life. As an apprentice carpenter, she says she can expect to make about $19.35 an hour, plus benefits including a 401(K) plan, vacation pay, and health and dental insurance.
Her 12-year-old daughter has been her biggest cheerleader in this new career pursuit, she said. “She thinks it’s interesting. She’s really glad I’m doing it,” she said.
Paula Resa, director of the CTCNC training facility in Morgan Hill, says that the pre-apprentice training is a relatively new pilot program that gives participants the extra boost and foundation skills they need to get into the construction business. The participants are not paid when they take the training, she said, and must be in class from 7am to 3:30pm five days a week. The training is paid for by the employers and members of the union.
The demographics of participants range across the board. Some are in their early 20s and just starting out in life while others are in their mid-50s looking for a new career, Resa said.
In addition to learning safety on the job site and skills such as hammering and properly using saws, the workers are taught math skills they’ll need in carpentry-related tasks such as measuring materials.
“Math is important,” Resa said. “We tend to find that a lot of people might have a high school diploma, but their math is really weak.”
Classes are also given to train the budding carpenters in proper job etiquette and career skills.
“I’m on a workforce board and so we talked a lot about employment in general and people looking for work,” Resa said. “A real common theme is that a lot of people, particularly younger people, really aren’t prepared for the 9-to-5 reality out there. Construction tends to be a bit harsher … because you have to understand that you need to be on time every day, totally prepared.”
Many pre-apprentice trainees learn that the reality of a construction job site is that it’s dirty, noisy place and often involves heavy lifting of materials. Some realize that a career in construction is not for them and so drop out, Resa said.
Despite the traditional stereotype of construction being a “man’s job,” many women are now finding that the construction site is a good place for them to make their careers, Resa said. The CTCNC director herself once worked in construction and believes that the pre-apprentice training gives women an excellent way to start their careers because they know what to expect before going on site.
“When I started as an apprentice many years ago, I had no background in construction,” she said. “I was totally green and was at everyone’s mercy. Now, these people are going to have a better experience, I think, because they’re getting some mentoring and using the handtools and learning the terminology.”
Employers find that the pre-apprentice program provides them with better workers, she said. The graduates show a lot of self-discipline, are hard working, polite and have tool skills, she said.
“What we’re hearing from employers for the most part is that they’re really pleased with the students who come out and that they hire because they are very, very disciplined,” she said.
One student who graduated last Saturday is Carl Peralta of Gilroy. Aged 34, he left an 11-year career as a manager at various retail stores at the Gilroy Outlets to start anew in a career in carpentry.
Peralta applied four years ago for the program and was put on a waiting list, he explained. With the moral support of his family, he now looks forward to working with his hands as an apprentice for the next four years.
“It’s more physical (than retail) but yet for me in my past experience, it’s really not difficult because it requires people skills to be effective,” he said. “It’s enjoyable. If you’ve got the right outlook and the right attitude, that helps.”
He believes the current job market makes it an excellent time to get into construction because the Bay Area will see many new construction projects in the coming years.
“I feel like I’m doing something that’s benefitting others,” he said. “I benefit myself and others as well.”
Marilyn Baker, age 26, of San Jose, also sees the opportunities for herself in her new construction career. She particularly likes the fact she’ll be doing manual labor.
“I don’t like being in an office,” she said. “I like working with my hands. It’s a new start for me. It builds responsibility and pride, and it’s a great future with the pay and benefits. It’s a blessing.”
Baker looked forward to Saturday’s graduation because it meant she was closing in on her goal of getting into the construction business. “This is the first time I’ve ever finished anything,” she said. “I feel a sense of accomplishment. I’ve turned my life around with this program.”
