Masonry Magazine March 1973 Page. 30
Detroit Area Boasts One of Nation's Best Apprenticeship Training Plans
Where will tomorrow's bricklayers come from? The Detroit area has what many experts consider the best apprentice training program in the United States today. The program is run by the Detroit Metropolitan Masonry Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC), and is funded by contractual payments from every contractor in the area who employs bricklayers.
The bricklayer apprentice program in the Motor City dates back a long time all the way to 1921-when an apprentice school was started under the auspices of the Mason Contractors Association. Three years later, an allied apprenticeship council was formed, the forerunner of today's Joint Apprenticeship Committee which is composed of representatives of the following organizations: Detroit Mason Contractors Association, Mason Contractors Association, Inc., Associated General Contractors Detroit Chapter, Inc., Builders Association of Metropolitan Detroit, and the Metropolitan Executive Committee of Bricklayers, which includes Local 2, Detroit; Local 26, Mt. Clemens; Local 29, Pontiac, and Local 35, Wyandotte. All are member locals of the Bricklayers, Masons & Plasterers International Union.
The program has been running continuously for more than 50 years and while it has changed in many ways, its goal has remained the same: to train young people as bricklayers.
How many of the trainees make it? That's one of the things that testifies to the success of the Detroit program. Of the boys who successfully complete the first week of pre-job training, more than 90% stay with it the rest of the way.
Another testimonial comes from the National Joint Labor-Management Apprentice Training Committee which has appointed Robert F. Ebeling, 1972 president of the Detroit Joint Apprenticeship Committee, as its national chairman. Ebeling also serves as national apprentice chairman for the Mason Contractors Association of America as well as being treasurer of the association. He and other members of the Detroit JAC are called on frequently to help their counterparts in other areas set up apprenticeship programs.
Day-to-day operation of the Detroit program is in the capable hands of Don LeMarbe, who was appointed field coordinator for the JAC in 1971. Formerly a business agent for Local 29 of the BM&PIU, LeMarbe helps handle the initial qualification of the apprentices, runs the training program, and places the apprentices with local contractors.
According to Louis A. Scheich, secretary of JAC, the program has never been in better shape than it is today. And he should know; Scheich has been associated with apprentice training in Detroit since 1937.
Apprentice training in action. This picture illustrates the pre-job training given at Detroit's Apprentice Training Center. Here Don LeMarbe (far right) and fellow instructor Ron Smith explain various building techniques to three of the students. Last year 54 young men received their journeyman cards as a result of the program while 43 more were beginning their apprenticeship training.
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