Photo credit: Alex Schreyer
John W. Olver Design Building, UMass Amherst, Leers Weinzapfel Associates

Today's grand opening of the Michigan Statewide Carpenters and Millwrights Joint Apprentice and Training Fund's new $30 million Union Carpenters and Millwrights Skilled Training Center in Detroit, Michigan further expands the availability of mass timber installer training in the U.S. Developed by WoodWorks - Wood Products Council in partnership with training centers and other entities, installer training targets crew leaders and installers who physically build mass timber structures on site. WoodWorks provides curriculum and training support, as well as training mock-ups and components for some programs with funding from the Softwood Lumber Board and USDA Forest Service. 

"Behind every infrastructure project are countless men and women getting it done," said Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "I am proud to celebrate them with the opening of this state-of-the-art training center and the partnership between WoodWorks and the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights. This facility will connect countless Michiganders with opportunity and help fill high-skilled, good-paying job openings as we rebuild and revitalize Michigan's critical infrastructure. I am thankful for the partnership of WoodWorks and Carpenters and Millwrights, and I look forward to working with them to invest in the skilled trades and put Michiganders first."

"We created the Mass Timber Construction Management Program in 2019 to address a critical gap in knowledge and skills among contractors and installers," said Jennifer Cover, WoodWorks President and CEO. "Developers and design teams were pursuing mass timber for its carbon, biophilia and other benefits, but contractors accustomed to other materials had no experience on these types of projects. This resulted in budgets and estimates that were skewed high to cover the unknowns, including risk and perceived liabilities. Our program offers content tailored to the unique needs of project managers and estimators as well as field team leaders and installers, both to help ensure competitive pricing and contribute to a growing pool of labor trained to build these innovative buildings."

Intended to increase the availability of trained mass timber installation labor across the U.S., these programs train individuals on the fundamentals of mass timber installation with content for workers with all levels of experience. The following U.S. entities are offering mass timber installer training in partnership with WoodWorks or have courses in development:

Training Centers Added in Q2 2022

• Michigan Statewide Carpenters & Millwrights Joint Apprenticeship & Training Fund - Detroit, MI 
• Northern California Carpenters Training Committee - Pleasanton, CA
• Carpenters International Training Fund - Las Vegas, NV
• Southeastern Carpenters Training Fund - Atlanta, GA 
• Southeastern Carpenters Training Fund - Charlotte, NC

Training Centers Offering Mass Timber Installer Training as of Q2 2022

• Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentice and Training Program - Elk Grove Village, IL
• Northwest Carpenters Institute of Washington - Kent, WA
• Pacific Northwest Carpenters Institute - Portland, OR 
• North Atlantic States Apprentice Training Fund - Millbury, MA
• North Atlantic States Apprentice Training Fund - Rock Tavern, NY 
• Southwest Carpenters Training Fund - Buena Park, CA
• Philadelphia Joint Apprentice Training Fund - Philadelphia, PA
• Indiana-Ohio-Kentucky Joint Apprenticeship and Training Trust Fund in Richfield, OH
• New York City District Council of Carpenters Training Center - New York, NY 
• Iron Workers Locals 40 & 361 Joint Apprentice Committee - Astoria, NY

As part of its own education program, WoodWorks offers project management curriculum for individuals who estimate, procure, and manage new commercial and multi-family construction projects in the U.S. Upcoming construction management education can be found on the organization's website.

WoodWorks also partners with universities to provide hands-on mass timber experience and educational resources to the next generation of GC project managers. Partnerships to date include:

• Michigan State University School of Planning, Design, and Construction - East Lansing, MI
• State University of New York School of Environmental Science and Forestry - Syracuse, NY
• Clemson University Wood Utilization + Design Institute in collaboration with the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities - Clemson, SC

WoodWorks is seeking other entities interested in developing university construction management and installer training programs. Training Centers, Technical Community Colleges, Workforce Development Programs, and many others would be welcome locations for mass timber installation training programs. For more information, contact Brandon Brooks, Construction Management Program Manager.

Contact: media@woodworks.org

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