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Operating
Engineers Apprenticeship & Training
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High
quality skill development training for IUOE members is
provided by nearly 70 apprenticeship and training programs at
IUOE local unions throughout the U.S and Canada. These programs,
usually registered with a federal, state or provincial apprenticeship
agency, are jointly sponsored by the IUOE local unions and the
employers for whom the locals supply labor.
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Apprenticeship is an excellent way to learn a craft and to earn
an income at the same time. The system is designed to give someone
who knows little or nothing about the trade the knowledge to become
a master. The average length of an Operating Engineer apprenticeship
is three to four years. During this period, apprentices learn
their trade by 1) working with skilled journeymen on actual job
sites, and 2) attending related classroom instruction and/or field
training at the local union. |
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Field training can take place on or off
the local union's site. Volunteer service projects such as building
a neighborhood baseball diamond enhance the community while giving
apprentices useful practice for working on a real job. Starting
pay for an apprentice is about 40% to 60% of the journey-level
rate. Pay increases are scheduled at designated times during the
progression of the apprentices to journeymen. |
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After
completing apprenticeship and achieving journey-level status,
members are encouraged to take advantage of advanced training
classes the IUOE offers. This will enable members to stay on
top of technological advances in construction equipment and
other issues related to the industries in which employed. To
be the best, members should continually strive to build
and improve their skills. By constantly expanding their
skills and enhancing their versatility, members substantially
increase their opportunities to get good jobs--and keep them.
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