Erie County Times

On September 6, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that $297,000 is being made available for the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 9 to fund its ongoing Western Pennsylvania Bricklayers Masonry Program, which prepares apprentices through hands-on instruction by Journeymen.

According to a release by Wolf’s office, the funds are made possible through the Pennsylvania Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program. Through this program to date, 84 pre-apprentice and apprenticeship programs have been supported and $13 million has been invested. The program is focused on helping employers train future employees, as well as recruiting and development.

“There is great demand for skilled workers in the trowel trades, especially in western Pennsylvania,” said Wolf. “This new funding will help the training program continue, and through it, BAC Local 9 will be able to help meet the industry’s demand.”

The program will involve training courses in tile setting, bricklaying, terrazzo and stone masonry. This is a four-year commitment and by the end, Journeymen involved will have had 6,000 hours of training on the job and 576 hours of in the classroom and lab.

Funding is for the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cameron, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, McKean, Potter, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland.

“We sincerely appreciate this investment and confidence in the Western Pennsylvania Bricklayers Masonry Training Program,” said Norm Ringer, president, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 9. “This contribution will assist us in providing a strong foundation for anyone interested in starting a career in the masonry trades.”