Legislature Mandates Apprentices
Governor Patrick has signed legislation to kick-start economic recovery in
Massachusetts. The new law helps secure hundreds
of millions of dollars in Federal Recovery Funding.
A key provision in the bill requires that 20% of all
labor hours on ARRA-funded construction projects
of $1 million or more must be performed by
Apprentices registered with the State Division of
Apprentice Training. This rule applies to all projects.
The intent is to create jobs with middle-class earning capacity and skills, and to ensure that highly skilled
and trained craftsmen and women work on these
important construction projects.
Frank Callahan, President of the Massachusetts
Building Trades Council, applauded legislators for this requirement, saying "apprentice training is key to promoting a middle-class standard of living for
thousands of young workers. It also helps develop
a skilled workforce in construction, which will be
facing serious manpower shortages in the future.
It also ensures that the public receives a quality
project."
Unions invest millions of their own dollars training apprentices and upgrading the skills of
journeypersons to keep up with new technologies.
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