By SHERI GASSAWAY
Corespondent
ST. LOUIS – The Building Union Diversity (BUD) program made history last month when it graduated its largest class to date since it began in 2014.
Eighteen graduates received their diplomas March 25 at the IBEW Local 1 union hall, and by that time, half of the class had already secured employment in their fields. The five-week pre-apprenticeship program was created as a recruitment tool to encourage more minorities and women to get into the union-building trades.
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, a former member of Transit Workers Local 529 with several proud union family members, served as keynote speaker at the ceremony. She said the city is proud to partner with the BUD Program through the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE).
‘CHANGING LIVES, BUILDING THE FUTURE’
“This innovative partnership between our trade unions and the U.S Department of Labor is changing lives and teaching St. Louisans the skills they need to thrive in their new careers,” Jones said. “My dream is to see cranes in the sky in North St. Louis, building back our neighborhoods and creating good union, prevailing-wage jobs. And you are an important part of that vision because you will literally be building the future.”
BUD Program Coordinator Aurora Bihler, a member of Iron Workers Local 396, told the graduates she was proud of them and excited to see where their careers will go. It was her first graduating class since taking over the program from Russ Signorino, who retired last year.
EXPERIENCE OF CHOOSING TRADE
“For me personally, I did not have this (program),” Bihler said. “I’m not originally from St. Louis and don’t have family in the trades, and I just signed up with Iron Workers not really knowing what they did. I’m so glad that you guys got the experience to choose a trade that you will really be successful in.”
The BUD program was originally created by the St. Louis Building Trades Council eight years ago. It provides pre-apprentices with the opportunity for a week-long visit at participating local building trade unions to give them hands-on basic training and a feel for each of the trades.
91% GRADUATION RATE
Since then, it has had a 91 percent graduation rate and an 82 percent placement rate. Of those who have graduated from the program, 80 percent are minorities, 24 percent are women and six percent are veterans.
Based on the success of the BUD program and with the sponsorship and support of the Missouri AFL-CIO, the Missouri Works Initiative last year took over the work of replicating the St. Louis program’s training and recruiting model statewide. The goal is to continue to increase construction trade participation among traditionally underrepresented groups, including minorities and women.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The next BUD class begins April 25, and applications are due April 13. For more information, visit moworksinitiative.org.
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