Post YA Program Options
For most Youth Apprentices, pursuing a career in the Pipe Trades post-graduation is the goal. Local 400 has a few different avenues for advancing a student’s career after graduation. While it is possible to be awarded an apprenticeship directly after completing a Youth Apprenticeship, the most common positions held between Youth Apprentice and Registered Apprentice is Metal Trades Trainee or Pre-Apprentice.
Metal Trades Trainee:
Beginning employment as a Metal Trades Trainee allows you to assist Apprentices and Journeyworkers in a shop environment under direct supervision. Most often, Metal Trades Trainees become Fabricator Apprentices. Occasionally, Metal Trades employees may work on construction jobsites and become HVAC/R Service, Plumbing, or Steamfitting Apprentices. Metal Trades employees are members of Local 400, so unpaid related, night, school classes are available for you to schedule and complete.
Duties may include, but are not limited to: unloading, handling, placing of piping, valves, fittings, etc. into stockpiles or bins, which will be fabricated into assemblies or formations; loading, unloading, moving, organizing, and delivering materials and/or tools in a fabrication shop; operating of cranes, fork lifts/tow motors, trucks and other shop handling equipment (safety certification needed); refacing of flanges on a drill press, lathe or boring mill; cutting, beveling, threading, bending and welding of pipe; grinding, cleaning, blasting, painting, marking of pipe; plugging ends, disassembling/assembling and protecting valves, piping, etc.
Pre-Apprenticeship:
An entry-level Pre-Apprentice position in the HVAC/R Service, Plumbing, or Steamfitting trades allows you to assist Apprentices and Journeyworkers on construction jobsites under direct supervision. This allows you to witness the day-to-day operations on the construction site and determine if this is the right career for you before you commit to signing the state contract for an Apprenticeship. Pre-Apprentices are not Members of Local 400; you become a Member when you are awarded an Apprenticeship.
Duties may include, but are not limited to: loading, unloading, moving, organizing, and delivering materials and/or tools on a construction site and/or in a fabrication shop; housekeeping; building and taking down scaffold; core drilling; busting concrete; drilling holes to install anchors; putting up hangers/supports; digging ditches for underground plumbing; assisting in demolition of mechanical systems, etc.
