The IAM has been approved for inclusion in the U.S. Department of Labor’s ApprenticeshipUSA LEADER initiative. The LEADER program connects the IAM with other similar unions and companies to help develop best practices.
“This is a benefit to the IAM and our members,” said IAM Safety and Health Director Jim Reid, whose department administers apprenticeship programs for Machinists Union members. “We already target every opportunity to give our members the best training possible, but this will give us another leg up on the competition. I encourage Districts and Locals to work with us to start their own registered apprenticeship programs.”
The IAM has over 60 registered apprenticeship titles across the US. Most apprenticeships in the IAM are part of an “earn and learn” approach. Those employers offering apprenticeships provide jobs and apprentices go to class on a regular basis.
When apprentices complete their education and on-the-job training, the average starting wage is above $50,000. Over the course of their lifetimes, workers who complete an apprenticeship on the job may earn hundreds of thousands of dollars more than their peers who do not.
Learn more about ApprenticeshipUSA.
Contact the IAM Safety and Health Department at 301-967-4708 for more details on apprenticeship programs.
