Benefits of Working in the Industry
Family sustaining wages with annual salaries ranging from $50k-$118k according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022)
Skip the time and cost of a four-year degree and jump into training and apprenticeship instead!
Learn on the job and get a head start on your career through the Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship model
Variety and Opportunity to enhance your career over time
Resources to Learn More
There are endless possibilities in this industry.
Check out the ‘Build Your Career in Construction’ guide created by our partners at GBCA.
Review Council Member Katherine Gilmore Richardson’s Apprenticeship guidebook to explore how to jumpstart your career in the skilled trades.
Programs Everybody Builds Supports
Carpenter’s Apprentice Ready Program
Carpentry is a skill that serves as a solid foundation for a fulfilling career, one that can elevate and transform lives. If you’ve never considered the possibilities of a carpentry career or lacked avenues to explore it further, look no further than the Carpenters’ Apprentice Ready Program (CARP). This program is designed to equip aspiring individuals with the necessary tools to excel as Union Carpenters right from the start.
CARP focuses on identifying and training individuals who face barriers to employment in the building trades, including motivated women, people of color, and other residents of Philadelphia. By becoming a Union Carpenter, you gain access to competitive wages, comprehensive healthcare coverage, retirement benefits, and continuous educational and training opportunities, enabling you to progress in your career with confidence.
CARP Training Includes
Finishing Trades Institute
The Finishing Trades encompass various crafts such as commercial and industrial painting, glazing, glasswork, drywall finishing, and sign and display. These trades specialize in enhancing the appearance, protection, and longevity of structures, ranging from buildings and bridges to ships and stadiums.
The Finishing Trades offer a wide range of highly sought-after career opportunities. Union workers in these trades enjoy competitive wages, better benefits than many corporate employees, and ample prospects for career advancement. With a diverse range of trades and abundant demand, the Finishing Trades offer fulfilling careers that combine skill, craftsmanship, and financial security.
Sam Staten Sr. Pre-Apprenticeship Program (SSSPAP)
The Samuel Staten Sr. Pre-Apprenticeship Program (SSSPAP) aims to increase diversity in Philadelphia’s construction trade by moving under-represented individuals into construction trade apprenticeships in Philadelphia. SSSPAP prepares participants for apprenticeships by providing academic and employability skills, along with supportive services such as life skills training and financial literacy. The program aims to increase diversity in the Philadelphia Building Trade unions and help participants secure employment with competitive salaries, benefits, and career potential. SSSPAP has garnered support from construction trade unions and also assists participants in finding employment opportunities that improve their earning capacity.
MyWIC
MyWIC is a FREE, construction industry, day camp for 7th through 12th grade girls in the Philadelphia region. The camp is designed to give girls hands-on experience to gain better knowledge of the industry and the multiple trades. Girls experience the exhilaration of successfully performing tasks that promote leadership and team-building skills, as well as build self-confidence, self-esteem, and boost their overall self image.