If you are a registered apprentice in a participating union, you can receive free money from the state. It took about three weeks from the time of application for me to receive about $5k in December. https://wsac.wa.gov/wcg-apprentices

I just received an invitation to attend Safety & Orientation in Ellensberg at the IOEU (Local 302) Training Center. This is the final step in the application process before the union decides whether or not to accept me as an apprentice. If folks have any experience or advice with S&O, I’d love to talk about it. Thanks.

Hey folks, I started my union journey in November of 2023 and navigated the application process for many unions. I completed Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training (P.A.C.T.) and a WSDOT-sponsored pre-apprenticeship for the Pile Drivers Union before becoming a Pile Driver Apprentice. I applied for Local 77 (Seattle City Light), Local 46 (Inside Wire), and Local 86 (Ironworkers) before deciding to become a Pile Driver, and I’ve helped family navigate being in LiUNA (Laborers). I’m still not satisfied with my experience in Local 196 and working to switch my books to Local 302 (Operating Engineers). If anyone has questions about the experience and process of navigating getting into the industry, I’m happy to share more.

I built an AI- powered tool to help people explore careers in the skilled trades. what it does: 1. matches you with trades base on your interests 2. Shows unions by state and location 3. AI chatbot for trade & apprenticeship questions Check it out send link to anyone interested in the trades. https://thetradeconnect.org

I’m reading There Is Power a in a Union, by Philip Dray, and Labor’s Partisans, edited by Nelson Lichtenstein and Samir Sonti, if anyone wanted to read and discuss, that’d be cool. Both books should also be available on Audible, if you prefer to listen.