Home
Instructors |
Curriculum Advisory Committee |
News from the Apprentice Office
We have been very fortunate over the years to be able to attract good instructors for our training
programs. About ten instructors are needed for our various training programs each year. Volunteers
come out on occasion to offer their experience and advice, but the majority of our instructors
are paid by the apprenticeship committee. Several have taken advantage of the International
Masonry Institute’s Instructor Certification Program.
In 1996 we centralized training into our Pleasanton facility for Bricklayers and PCC. Later, in
1999 we opened a school in Fresno to better serve the Bricklayer apprentices in that area. Our
Marble Masons and Finishers continue to train at our San Francisco site, which was originally
purchased by the Local 7 JAC in the early 70s. It has been our intent to sell this facility, in
favor of a larger, more centrally located facility which would better serve all of our crafts.
This year all of our PCC instructors will be returning. Our head instructor will be Troy Garland,
assisted by his dad, Justin Garland, Vincent Schneider, Bill O’Connell, and Jose Herrera. This year
we are adding some Bricklaying instructors with the intent to give the apprentices more exposure
by setting up a rotation. This has worked well with PCC in the past. We will have Brent Kirkes,
Gary Peifer, and Joe Porto in Pleasanton, and Larry Buranen and Dennis Ward in Fresno teaching the
Bricklayers. Steve Kantoniemi and Charlie Woodard will once again be teaching the Marble Masons
and Finishers in San Francisco.
We look forward to another good year thanks to the dedication of our staff of instructors,
past and present.
Our Curriculum Advisory Committee held it’s first meeting on 7 April. This committee is made up
of two masonry contractors, Ray Smith of Gerry Smith Masonry, and John Wait of John D. Wait
Masonry, three journeyman bricklayers, Dennis Ward, Al Knauer and Skip Gainer. Dennis and Al
work as foremen for Gerry Smith and John Jackson respectively, and Skip is currently working
as a field representative for BAC Local 3.
The original objective of this committee was to determine a realistic level of skills the
apprentice bricklayer should acquire as he or she progresses through our apprenticeship program.
The main topic headings were determined to be: knowledge and skills, hand tools, equipment, traits
and attitudes, and terminology. The main topics were broken down more specifically and a grading
scale was established to identify the expected level of competence at each grade level. This
painstaking task was completed on 15 June after a series of meetings. Their determinations were
presented to BAC Local 3, JATEC at their monthly meeting on 22 June, and were accepted with full
support of the JATEC.
Our next step is to meet with our staff of Bricklaying instructors and begin to revise and expand
our current curriculum in order to help our apprentices develop to meet these standards. Our
contractors, foremen and journeyman bricklayers must also bear a responsibility in this endeavor
to assure it’s success.
Another successful school year has come to a close. In the course of last school year we
certified 43 journeymen into our combined crafts, 16 Bricklayers, 9 Marble Finishers, 4 Marble
Masons, and 14 Pointer, Cleaner, Caulkers. We are on track to certify 46 journeymen next year.
Work hours seem to be returning to normal with 144,427 hours reported for April, for journeymen
and apprentices combined. This is an increase for the same period in 2003 and 2002.
So far in 2004 we have indentured 41 new apprentices into our apprenticeship programs. We
continue to take applications at the apprentice office in Oakland, weekdays from 8:30am until
11:30am. If you know someone that you think is suited for either of our crafts, Brick, PCC or
Marble, please ask them to contact the apprenticeship office at 510-553-0991.
School schedules were mailed to all apprentices and their contractors on 25 June. If you have
not received yours, please contact the apprentice office, and we will mail your schedule promptly.
Be sure to let us know which craft, and also confirm that we have your correct mailing address.
You can check your schedule on this website.
Apprentices should have received your travel reimbursements for the second half of the school year.
Apprentices may be eligible for this reimbursement if they live in excess of 50 miles from the
school location they attend. If you did not receive a check for travel and think you should have,
please contact the apprentice office.
Enjoy your summer, school resumes on 11 September.
Recently Certified Journeypersons
Bricklayers
PCC
Marble Mason
Congratulations to each of you for choosing a respected and rewarding craft.
About half of our apprentices come into our training program with no prior training or experience.
They are faced with quite a few challenges as they make adjustments to the demanding work of our
crafts and the hazards of the jobsite. As we all know it isn’t cheap to work as a union craftsman.
To walk onto the jobsite they will need, reliable transportation, money for traveling expense,
good quality work shoes and durable clothing. A vast array of tools will soon be needed. With
little or no knowledge of the craft it is difficult for the young apprentices to know how and
where to select the tools they will initially need. A good many of our journeymen have given
some of their used tools to the apprentices in the past. This helps out greatly considering
that the apprentice usually earns the smallest paycheck on the job. Looking at it from a financial
standpoint the first couple of years of apprenticeship is a losing proposition. If you have some
hand tools that still have some life left, pass them on to the apprentices. This is one way our
journeymen can help.
Another way is to serve as a mentor for the young apprentice. We are blessed with a good number
of accomplished craftsmen to pass on their extensive knowledge and skills. It only takes a little
extra effort to foster a mentoring relationship. In time the apprentice will begin to develop the
same appreciation of the craft, that they see in the journeymen they’ve learned from.
“A man is as good as his word”.
Our reputations are very important, and we need to make every effort to build and protect them.
Let’s remember, that our reputation is the way we are seen by others, not always the way we see
ourselves. By simply keeping your word, you will be making a favorable impression with those you
come in contact with.
More important than our reputation, our character is who and what we are. Our character often
continues to develop throughout our lives. In today’s world, a lot of emphasis is placed on
celebrity or one’s financial worth. As craftsmen, we are not likely to move very far along these
lines. We do however have an equal chance in developing our character, a fair and true measure
of an individual.
Let’s think about some traits and attitudes that should serve both, to make us better craftsmen,
and improve our character also. In no particular order we should aspire to be respectful,
confident, a team player, willing to learn, dependable, focused, accountable, self motivated,
committed to craftsmanship, professional, organized, adaptable, and patient. We should also
exercise foresight, pay close attention to detail, and recognize our limitations. By putting
forth a conscious effort we can enhance our character as well as our reputation, and be better
served as craftsmen in our trade.
It all starts with
“Keep Your Word”.
Zack Lambert
Curriculum Advisory Committee
News from the Apprenticeship Office
Steve Bowers
K. C Buongiorno
Jose Cabrera
Chris Cole
Joshua Dionne
Matt Kirkes
Sergio Murillo
Jeff Tarpley
Alexander Chavez
Pablo Madrigal
Ed Mora
Apprentices Need Your Help
Back Page
Zack Lambert
Keep Your Word