Apprentices working on an assigned scaffolding project. (Photo by Jarrett Van Meter)
Some individuals are born into the world knowing exactly what it is that they are meant to do, while other can take up to three decades and beyond to come to the same realization. One profession where this is very apparent is that of carpentry.
Training and apprenticeship programs such as that available through the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters. The IKORCC offers the opportunity for anyone from a high school student to an adult wishing to start over in a new field the chance to learn the skills necessary to succeed in top notch facilities.
There are eight facilities around Indiana, including one in Warsaw on Mariners Drive, which opened in 1992. IKORCC Representative Chet Fincher stated that though they have a lot of apprentices who are high school age, they also have older individuals who are just looking to change careers. According to Fincher, the Warsaw branch’s average age for apprentices is 28. The campus’s facilities allow individuals to learn such skills as welding, general carpentry, floor covering, scaffolding and safety protocol.
There is no shortage of learning tools, including a $46,000 welding simulator. The simulator requires the user to put on a mask and goggles that already have a virtual construction scenario programmed in so it feels as though they are actually on a construction site.
Besides the simulator, the campus is stocked with top-notch power tools, situation simulation equipment and welding machines. Several open spaces allow for the apprentices to practice piecing together scaffolding or small structures.
Though a lot of what goes on is hands-on, the classroom environment is also a key element of the apprenticeship program. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, which IKORCC is a part of, has its own books for each of the areas of instruction. Not only that, but according to IKORCC Representative Chet Fincher, they are the sixth largest producer of educational materials in the world.
The campuses are all funded through the paychecks of other carpenters, not through tax dollars. Fincher stated that union members donate back about $.40 per each hour of work. This keeps the programs self-sustaining. According to Fincer, “There are a lot of other places that aren’t union supported, the apprentices have to pay for it themselves. The facilities we have are expensive, and as a result they expect well trained workers.”
Due to the prowess of the program’s alumi, IKORCC has developed a large group of contractors to whom they serve as a pipeline for trained, skilled workers. The four-year program earns those who complete it an associates degree in carpentry from Ivy Tech, and almost certain job placement.
The IKORCC Warsaw branch will be holding an open house for anyone interested in the programs from 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at 1095 Mariners Drive in Warsaw. For individuals seeking immediate information on the classes and certifications available at the Warsaw campus, please visit IKORCC.com.
