Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters & The Puerto Rican Association for Human Development, Inc. (PRAHD) Sign Agreement

Edison, N.J. , November 13, 2014 (Newswire.com) - The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters and The Puerto Rican Association for Human Development, Inc. signed an agreement  Nov. 6,  creating a training program that could lead to candidates becoming union apprentice carpenters.

The agreement calls for PRAHD approved applicants to enter a pre-apprenticeship program that provides fundamental skills of the carpentry trade and prepares candidates for entrance requirements in its full apprenticeship program.

"We have always promoted and supported the idea that the carpentry trade should be open to everyone who is interested in becoming a highly skilled craftsperson."

Michael Capelli , Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters

The Carpenter Contractor Trust NY/NJ helped to facilitate the agreement. The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters (NRCC) and the New Jersey Carpenters Training and Education Fund (NJCTF) are sponsoring the program.

The NRCC places great value on PRAHD’s influence in the community and its outreach to women and minorities. The impetus for the pre-apprenticeship training program grew out of the involvement of the Sisters of the Brotherhood, which is part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. Its mission is to promote activism and diversity and by increasing the number of women members in the carpentry trade.

“We have always promoted and supported the idea that the carpentry trade should be open to everyone who is interested in becoming a highly skilled craftsperson,” says Michael Capelli, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, NRCC.  “This pre-apprenticeship program creates a bridge for individuals who might otherwise not have access to an exciting, worthwhile career.”

“This is a tremendous first step for people who wish to improve their job skills and take a great leap forward in a well-respected, well-paying career path,” says Yvonne Lopez, Executive Director/CEO, PRAHD.  “This pre-apprenticeship program will help people who have traditionally lacked the opportunity to acquire skills to lift themselves up into higher paying jobs.”

The structured, unpaid program occurs during the evening hours to allow candidates to maintain daytime work schedules.

The training is conducted at The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters Training Center,  Kenilworth, NJ.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the pre-apprenticeship candidates to receive free training and begin a college education,” Lopez says.

For more information about the NRCC, visit www.northeastcarpenters.org.

For more information about PRAHD, visit www.prahd.org.

For more information about the NJCTF, visit www.njctf.org.

###