Akron Public Schools Celebrates New Construction Program for National Apprenticeship Week

AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Akron Public Schools' Buchtel CLC and Laborers' Local 894 have much to celebrate for National Apprenticeship Week this week with the recent implementation of an impactful new construction pre-apprenticeship program. The program, known as the LEARN Program, created by the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), prepares high school students for a lifelong, equitable construction career with fully funded benefits, retirement, training, and middle-class wages. The program offers hands-on experiences, classroom education, construction jobsite visits and career exploration, ultimately promoting a well-rounded pre-apprenticeship experience.

Akron Public Schools is the first district in Ohio to implement the LEARN Program. The innovative, hands-on construction program commenced at the beginning of the current school year, a year earlier than originally envisioned due to Akron Public School's urgency to make the program's opportunities available to current seniors. Graduates of the LEARN program are promised direct entry into a Laborers' apprenticeship through Local 894 as well as advanced training credit for higher starting apprenticeship wages.

The three-year program is an active partnership between the Buchtel CLC, Laborers' Local 894, and local contractors who have all dedicated themselves to assisting the program with classroom supplies, jobsite visits, apprenticeship credits, and career opportunities after of high school. The partnership between the three has been a huge factor to the program's success and buy-in. The success of these partnerships was displayed at a recent student showcase that included LIUNA representatives sharing with parents and students about the program opportunities, and jobsite visit of a school building project with a signatory contractor Hammond Construction and Laborers' Local 894.

"The LEARN Program provides high-quality career opportunities for our students upon graduation," said Nathan Ruyan, Coordinator of Career Tech at Akron Public Schools. "The program allows for a direct pipeline into the Ohio Laborers' Union, allowing our students to have access to high wage, high demand positions."

"When I learned about the program, I knew the first it place should be implemented in Ohio – right here in Akron," stated Vern Floyd, Business Manager of Laborers' Local 894. "I am so pleased with our partnership with Buchtel and that the program is already being taught. This program gives students an opportunity for a great career where they receive great healthcare, training, and retirement benefits right out of high school."

SOURCE Ohio Laborers' Union