The University of Iron
Ironworkers
Apprenticeship Program
Local 377 and 378
Organized Labor
Jan 2009
Iron worker apprenticeship programs started in the 1950s, but they have come a long way since then, according to apprentice director Dick Zampa, Jr. Zampa began as an apprentice in 1973. At that time, the classes were taught at the community college and were limited to classroom instruction at night or on the weekends. In the 1980s, the union decided to purchase land and construct their own training center. The program was so successful that three years ago they built a new facility, next to the old one in Benicia. The new facility has state-of-the-art equipment and a comprehensive curriculum capable of training iron workers to be competitive in today’s modern industry. The investment has had a big payoff. Zampa explains: “Adults learn by doing, not just telling. They learn by putting their hands on the materials and the tools, and working together as a team.” The apprenticeship is a 4-year program. Workers take a week off the job to train four times a year. “That way we can focus on the same thing for a week, like rigging. By the end of the week, they will have a huge body of knowledge about rigging. They will go back to work more employable and more valuable to their employer. They will know how to work faster and safer,” says Zampa, emphasizing “safer.” One of the most important elements of the program is correcting any bad habits the apprentices learned out in the field and teaching them the latest best practices.