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iBi - October 2009

The Skilled Trades in Central Illinois

A Roundtable Discussion

The skilled trades have a long, proud history in the Peoria area. iBi sat down with four area leaders to discuss the state of unions, labor/management relations, area schools, state and federal legislation, and the challenge of recruiting a qualified workforce for the future.

K Through 12 Students Learn the Trades

by Amy Chovan

Our educational system tends to focus on preparing students for college, and while that’s the right choice for many, it’s not the only opportunity to continue one’s education or land a well-paying job after high school.

Unions as Positive Forces in Our Communities

by Mike Everett
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #34

Understanding that the public perception of our willingness to stand up and fight is often portrayed in a negative light, we consciously choose to balance the negative with the positive. We choose and encourage our union members to become active and positive forces in our communities.

Labor + Management = Better Built

by Ginger Johnson
Tri-County Construction Labor-Management Council

In the mid-‘80s, leaders in the local union construction industry got together to figure out how to improve relations between labor (skilled building trades) and management (contractors) in the industry. These leaders began with a simple task: building relationships.

Sampling the Building Trades

The building trades and construction industry require highly-skilled workers in a variety of areas. A trade apprenticeship combines on-the-job experience with academic study and lasts two to five years. Apprenticeship programs are available for the following trades in central Illinois.

Earn While You Learn

Considering an Apprenticeship Program
by Martin J. Helfers
West Central Illinois Building & Construction Trades Council

An apprentice spends his or her days on an actual construction site working side by side with a journeyperson who typically is one of the best in that field. Then the apprentice spends several nights a week attending school, studying the multifaceted elements of their chosen craft.

One-Stop Assistance for Construction

by Dan Silverthorn
West Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council

In the 1880s, skilled building trades workers began to form local unions to protect their work and improve their standard of living.

Deeper Shades of Green

by Edward J. Barry, Jr.
Farnsworth Group, Inc.

The sustainability movement’s next wave will require the skilled trades.

Safety is Key

by Ginger Johnson
Tri-County Construction Labor-Management Council

The union construction industry, locally and nationally, puts high priority on getting its workers home each night in the same condition they came to work. To that end, the industry takes proactive steps to make safety happen.

Demand/Supply Analyses and Market Assessment

The review of anticipated job openings reveals substantial demand for labor in each of the trades. Looking at the combined impact of workforce needs, aggressive efforts to sustain staffing in the trades will be required.

Skills and Academics

A Perfect Mix at ICC
by Cheryl Fliege
Illinois Central College

As an educator, I see skilled trades as the integration of on-the-job knowledge and skills with academics. The people who combine the best of both worlds are in the most demand today.

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Balance

A Business with Icing on Top

Parents slam on their brakes as kids crane their necks out the windows for a better look, teens beg for pictures, and burly truck drivers honk and wave a thumbs-up as Matt Brereton drives down the road.