Getting Started with the Carpenters

Your hourly wages that you'll see on your check, minus (hourly) savings and dues. You'll see that your pay increases based on the amount of on-the-job hours you've worked. The percentage is the amount you make compared to a Journeyperson, until you journey out at 100%.

If you have previous construction experience a contractor may decide to start you at a pay scale above 60%. This is called being paid "above scale". A contractor always has the option to pay you above scale, but never below scale when you're in the Union.

Fringe Benefits are the other areas your contractor is paying into on your behalf. Areas include: health insurance (which takes about 3 months for enough hours/money to be put into your health fund for your health care to begin), retirement funds, schooling and training funds.

Your Wage and Fringe Benefits make up what you will hear people refer to as the Total Package.

Carpenter Class Schedule

Classes will be scheduled roughly every 3-4 months.

Each class lasts 40hr (M-F, 7am-3pm).

You will receive a $350 stipend for the week and will not miss out on your health benefit hours.

Attendance is mandatory and tardiness is strictly enforced. You must stay on top of your classes to be eligible for raises.

Being over at the training center for a week is a great time to network with classmates, chat with business reps, and stay in touch with instructors, in addition to learning new skills.

Year 1:

Orientation - paperwork, navigating union websites, how to long your ojt hours, OSHA certification, Construction Fall Protection training, Aerial Lift cert

General Skills - Print Reading, Construction Math (reading a tape measure and working with fractions), Layout (using 3-4-5 method for squaring), Toolbox building (in the shop), First Aid/CPR cert.

Wood Framing - Tool safety, Layout, Wall and Floor framing, Estimating

Interior Systems - Layout, Metal framing, Sheetrock installation, Lasers

Year 2:

Scaffold - Scaffold info and erection cert

Concrete - Footings, Measuring elevations

Wood Framing - Roof framing, wood stairs, related math

ICRA: Best Practices in Health Care - Healthcare construction

Year 3:

Interior Systems - Soffits, Radius math, and Layout

Exterior Finish - Windows, Doors, Metal siding, shingles

Concrete - Wall and Column forms

Interior Finish - Hanging cabinets, Plastics laminates, Handrails, Trim, Bathroom Partitions

Year 4:

Concrete - Elevated deck forms and walls

Wood Framing - Framing refresher, Shed build

Interior Systems - Acoustical ceilings, Door frame install, Geometric layout

Door Hardware - Commerical hardware, Door hanging, Stepping up to Foreman