At the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), one thing we’re frequently doing is going out and meeting with students who are looking to go into a career path of construction. But we’re also trying to educate.
We go to job fairs and career fairs. We talk to people that are already painting who are looking for a better opportunity, higher pay, better benefits, and a good retirement, relative to what they currently have. We’re out there hitting that message on all levels. We get involved in social media for all aspects of recruitment, using outlets like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Indeed.
For people working for our signatory contractors, and our members, we also encourage them to bring people along and have them join the IUPAT, if they know somebody who is looking for a career.
Educating the Next Generation
It’s a shame that shop classes have been phased out of many schools. That’s where people could learn a little bit about this craft, when they were in high school. It really presented the option that there are alternatives.
But they’ve largely taken that out of our high schools, and so many people just advocate for students to go straight to college and get as much education as possible. And if someone can’t do that, they point to the military as the best route. Construction trades are often the last option.
I can tell you that I’ve worked very hard, I don’t have college debt, and I make good money. Our members make really good money, and they make a great living for themselves. So, it’s extremely important to us to educate parents and families about that.
Benefits of Apprenticeship Program
A few years ago, I learned about a child named Parker when I was approached by his mother at one of the AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance) events. She was troubled that her kid was a little lost and didn’t know what he wanted to do when he got out of high school.
She was really worried about him. He was a smart kid, but she was worried to the point that she almost had tears in her eyes when she was trying to explain everything to me. She asked for my help, so I met with her, her husband, and Parker at dinner. We had a great conversation with them, and I came to really understand where his head was at.
I told him that getting into the trades, at a time in which he’s trying to figure out life, could really help him out. Parker joined the IUPAT apprenticeship program, and I can happily say that he graduated from that program. He’s doing really well, and his parents called me up recently to tell me how appreciative they were of him joining the trades. Now, he’s continuing on with his education, and he’s going to college.
First Stop, Not the Last Stop
It all comes down to understanding the values and educating our parents, school counselors, and society that trades careers are a valuable option. It’s not the last stop. In fact, it should be one of the first stops that we talk about in school. You can make a career for yourself, no matter what. Learning a craft skill can make you employable for the rest of your life.
It can save a lot of kids out there that are lost, because they were not given the education of how they can make a career out of this. For me, I was a guy that wasn’t going to college or anything like that. I was homeless for a while, until somebody told me about the apprenticeship program. I never knew about it, and I never knew about craft skills. I didn’t have that option.
Since then, it’s been over 35 years. I have a nice house. I have a college degree. Now, I have an occupational safety and health degree. I hope I can help a lot of others who are out there, today, in similar positions. I feel like I matter, and I belong.
Editor’s note: Ken Seal made these comments on a recent AMPP podcast. To hear the full interview, listen below.
