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Updated: September 9, 2024

Union Construction Academy graduates first Women in the Trades cohort

Photo / Courtesy, Union Construction Academy Women gather in an educational session, part of the Union Construction Academy’s trades program.
By Laurie Schreiber

The Union Construction Academy of Maine recently graduated its first cohort in the Women in the Trades program.

The ceremony for women pre-apprentices graduating from the program featured Laura Fortman, commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor, as the guest speaker.

The ceremony was held at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ union hall at 142 Elm St. in Newport.

The Women in the Trades pre-apprenticeship program was designed specifically for women interested in the trades. While women comprise over 50% of the nation’s workforce, they make up only 15% of Maine’s construction industry and only 11% of the industry nationally, according to a news release.

During the four-week program, pre-apprentices earned certifications in OSHA 10 (basic safety training), first-aid, CPR and automated external defibrillator, flagging, scaffolding (user), confined space entry, asbestos awareness and hazardous waste handling. 

The goal is to prepare women for quality careers in the union trades earning good wages and excellent benefits. 

Union apprenticeships allow apprentices to earn pay and benefits while developing skills through on-the-job training and classroom instruction. 

The Union Construction Academy of Maine graduated its first cohort of 15 pre-apprentices a year ago.

That cohort included six individuals in pre-release or re-entry programs, seven asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Togo, and three refugees from Afghanistan. 

The academy is run by the Maine AFL-CIO, the Maine Building Trades Council and the New England Laborers Training Academy. 

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