Parents & Teachers

Excellence in Technical Education Award

The UA Local 400 Excellence in Technical Education Award is presented to local high schools in Northeast Wisconsin for its commitment to technical education and participation in the UA Local 400 Youth Apprenticeship Program.  As a part of this award local high schools receive a custom hallway banner and a Miller Wire Feed Welder for their Technical Education Program(s) courtesy of UA Local 400, the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) and Miller Electric.

How your school can become eligible:

  1. The School must participate in the Wisconsin State Youth Apprenticeship Program.
  2. At least one high school student must be employed as a Youth Apprentice with one of our signatory contractors during the regular school year.

The following schools have been Award recipients: Kaukauna High School, Pulaski High School, Neenah High School, Fox Valley Lutheran, Appleton A-Tech, Kimberly High School and Bayport High School.

Youth Apprenticeship Program Details

Regardless of technology advancement, it remains true that the most important resource as a business, community and nation needs is skilled people.  Highly skilled workers drive innovation, production and advancement that is essential to high-quality life.  Engaging in work is a transformational experience for young people that builds confidence when exposed to the realities of employment through mentors, role models and new environments at a young age.  This program offers students a variety of comprehensive experiences on the job and in the classroom designed to promote pipe trade career awareness and gives students the opportunity to grow, develop, plan, execute and transition to a meaningful, lucrative, and productive career post high school and grow their communities.

There are approximately 128 high schools within Local 400’s Jurisdiction that covers much of the Northeast Wisconsin; to be eligible to participate in Local 400’s Youth Apprenticeship Program, the student’s home and/or school are required to be located inside of Local 400’s jurisdiction.    Students should communicate with their School’s Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator, whether in-person or third party, to assist in determining the students Youth Apprenticeship of choice, adjust school schedule, and direct the student through the administrative part of the process.  For further information, please contact DJ Kloida at djkloida@ua400.org

Similar to a Registered Apprenticeship, a placement must be open at one of our signatory contractors for the Youth Apprentice to be hired and trained.  There are approximately 100 signatory contractors that specialize in industrial and commercial types of work; a few signatory contractors perform residential work as well.

As a Youth Apprenticeship Program member at Local 400, students are eligible to enroll in and complete courses offered online or in-person at our Kaukauna or Fond du Lac Training Facility locations.  Topics offered through Local 400 are all job related; common courses for Youth Apprentices include, but are not limited to:

  1. Basic Math
  2. Use & Care of Tools/Local 400 Shop
  3. Union 101: United Association (UA) & Labor History
  4. Construction Safety OSHA 30 Certification
  5. First Aid/CPR/AED Certification
  6. Welding

If a student is hoping to secure an apprenticeship post-graduation, they could receive credit for courses 1 through 5 towards their Unpaid Related Training hours required as a part of their Apprenticeship State Contract after being awarded an apprenticeship, pending approval by the Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC).

At your school, you may have a Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator or an outsourced third party to manage the student participation for the school’s entire Youth Apprenticeship Program; outsourced Youth Apprenticeship coordination organizations include Cesa 6, Cesa 7, Greater Green Bay, Anahaphee Project, Envision, Inspire and Wolf River Project.  Students should communicate with their School’s Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator, whether in-person or third party, to assist in determining the students Youth Apprenticeship of choice, adjust school schedule, and direct the student through the administrative part of the process.

For teachers, parents and students, Local 400 is more than happy to schedule private tours of our state-of-the-art training facility in Kaukauna or assist with coordinating a job shadow or in-person meeting with a current or past Youth Apprentice, Apprentice or Journeyworker.

Contact DJ Kloida, Local 400’s Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator, djkloida@ua400.org for additional information.

Use the following hyperlinks to learn more about the post-graduation opportunities:  Apprenticeship Programs, Current Wage Package, Earnings Potential, and Post-High School Career Opportunities.

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