Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Pre-apprentice class boosts diversity in trades

Photos and story by James Hill

The Joint Apprenticeship Training Council (JATC), a collection of statewide apprenticeship programs, has approved Portland Community College’s new pre-apprenticeship class.

The course, Trade Extension 9000, is designed to prepare individuals looking to get into an apprenticeship program. This program can be utilized by all registered apprenticeship programs in the Portland Metropolitan area as a resource for finding quality applicants for their industry. PCC graduates now have the same direct-entry approval as Portland YouthBuilders, Oregon Tradeswomen, and the Evening Trade Apprenticeship Preparation program run by the Housing Authority of Portland.

“The approved pre-apprenticeship program fits the bill perfectly,” said Dwight Page, instructor in trade extension at PCC. “The rigid standards set in this class are dictated by industry demands. Without them this course would never have received the blessing of the apprenticeship programs. To them this course is used as an extension of their selection processes.”

Successful PCC graduates will at a minimum receive additional points (scores) in their chosen program in the trades industry. Some programs will allow graduates to apply almost immediately for apprenticeship slots rather than wait for the few times a year when apprentice programs host their open application periods.

“In the course, students will be exposed to various construction sites to view working conditions and visit several different apprenticeship programs to learn about the opportunities and the requirements,” Page said. “In essence, they will be able to make educated decisions concerning their career choice.”

Cascade Campus class chosen to increase workforce diversity

The class will use a $150,000 contract from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to encourage more women and minorities to enter the trades. The funding will go toward paying tuition for approved applicants. The PCC Skill Center, located at the Cascade Campus (705 N. Killingsworth Street), will bring potential applicants to a minimum educational level to meet all apprenticeship minimum standards for education. The college’s contract with ODOT calls for PCC to deliver 50 people ready to apply for apprenticeship slots.

The Cascade Campus was chosen because of its location to a diverse workforce, which has typically experienced high unemployment and suppressed wages. The Skill Center’s objective is to recruit candidates from the local area with an emphasis on minorities and females. However, the TE 9000 class is available to anyone who wishes to attend.

Student uses TE 9000 to turn career around

Bryan Comer, 31, says that the new class is a career-saver for him. Comer, a part-time PCC student, has spent the better part of eight years in odd jobs in the construction industry as he tries to enlist in an apprenticeship program. However, without experience, Comer found himself spinning his wheels as he could never get enough experience to pass the entry tests.

“For somebody with no construction experience this class is extremely helpful,” said Comer, who wants to get into an electrician apprenticeship. “I got discouraged before in applying to the apprenticeship programs because they don’t tell you what you need to do. They just say ‘come again next year.’”

Comer, who grew up in northeast Portland and recently got out of the military, has worked as a non-union roofer and most currently an installer of hardwood floors. He decided he couldn’t go much farther in those jobs and needed to find a stable career where he could find opportunities to move up.

“It’s unbelievable the amount of confidence and direction you get from the class,” Comer said. “It covers what I need to prepare for, so that I’m not walking blindly during the apprenticeship tests. This class is what I’ve been looking for. Without it I’d still be taking one class at a time trying to gain the skills I need.”

For more information about this new program, contact Dwight Page at 503-978-5657 (dwight.page@pcc.edu), or Katrina Cloud at 503-978-5651 (kcloud@pcc.edu).

Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon, serving approximately 88,200 full- and part-time students. For more PCC news, please visit us on the Web at www.pcc.edu/news. PCC has three comprehensive campuses, five workforce training and education centers, and 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.