Allison Balanc, Digital and Marketing Strategy Manager for TradesFutures, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss TradesFutures and how it helps develop, promote and improve Apprenticeship Readiness Programs (ARPs) nationwide.
TradesFutures, a non-profit organization established in 2022 by North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), is dedicated to developing, promoting and enhancing ARPs nationwide. Balanc discussed how the programs assist local residents — particularly women, people of color, the formerly incarcerated and transitioning veterans — to join a building trades’ registered apprenticeship program. The ARPs are managed by state and regional building trades councils, which utilize the 120-hour Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3). The MC3 is a nationally recognized training course that teaches the essential skills needed for success in the construction industry.
According to reports from the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), women comprise approximately 11 percent of the total construction workforce, and tradeswomen account for about three percent of this total. Balanc said TradesFutures’ 225 MC3 ARPs have acted as a gateway for thousands of women to enter the building trades. She discussed the increased number of women entering ARPs between 2016 and 2023, as women account for nearly 21 percent of the participants.
Finally, Balanc discussed how TradesFutures spotlights the “Tradeswomen of the Week,” sponsored by Milwaukee Tool. Through this partnership, she said they want to highlight as many tradeswomen's stories as possible. Every tradeswoman has a unique and empowering story to tell. With the help of a pro-union sponsor like Milwaukee Tool, TradesFutures hopes to assist in leveling the playing field by creating a more equitable, diverse landscape for women seeking a career in the trades.
For more information on TradesFutures, listen to the show above, then visit their website TradesFutures.org.