Iowa City Council boosts UI Labor Center with cash from Biden's American Rescue Plan
George Shillcock
Jasper Washington participated in the University of Iowa Labor Center's quality pre-apprenticeship program 2 years ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as he debated whether he wanted to become an electrician or a carpenter.
Washington, a resident of Iowa City, told Iowa City Council on Tuesday that the 5-week program not only helped him choose to become a carpenter and he is now signed onto an apprenticeship class. Washington was one of several beneficiaries of the program who spoke up at Tuesday's meeting in support of a proposal that would have the city partner with the UI Labor Center
"I would definitely suggest this program. It really helped me out a lot," Washington said.
Iowa City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to fund the program further with $435,239 from its $18.3 million in funding from President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan. City officials told councilors it is an investment will help create a pathway for Iowa City residents to qualify for and secure careers in the building and construction trades.
Starting 2023, it will be an expanded 5-week program for at least 30 participants each fall — at least 70% will be from groups underrepresented in the construction trades including: racial and ethnic minorities, women, veterans and immigrants.
The UI Labor Center is partnering with New Creations International Church, Dream City and at least 10 Iowa City and Cedar Rapids corridor construction apprenticeship programs. New Creations and Dream City will be supporting the program by helping with participant recruitment, feedback and referrals to different services for the participants.
University of Iowa Labor Center Director Robin Clark-Bennett and Paul Iverson, a labor educator with the center, presented the proposal for the City Council.
"Getting family supporting jobs to people that need them was a focus of our quality pre-apprenticeship program and partnering with the city of Iowa City we see as a wonderful way for us to work together to provide those opportunities," Iverson said.
Iverson said this will provide an opportunity to bridge the gap between where people are and where they need to be to get into high quality trades jobs.
Clark-Bennett said she is excited about the idea of a consistent, 4-year, predictable annual program because so far they've only provided it as grant funding has popped up. She said knowing they can do this every year for the next four years will provide a lot of benefits and
"This is no longer an experimental program. It's a tested program that we've been able to strengthen," Clark-Bennett said.
Federal money will aid UI Labor Center as it turns 70 years old
The appropriation will help the program for five years: $35,239 this year and $100,000 a year for the remaining four years. It will mostly pay labor center staff, although some money will pay for curriculum and university overhead.
This new, year-round program will help provide a stable stream of funds to the quality pre-apprenticeship program which began in 2019 and seeks to address the need for skilled trades people in the construction trades due to retirements and the historic rise in infrastructure investments.
The five-week program is free and open to all Iowans.
More information can be found at the UI Labor Center's website.
"As well as the urgent need for quality jobs in our community, particularly among people and communities who are historically underrepresented in building construction trades careers and who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic," Clark-Bennett said.
Iverson said to be a "quality" pre-apprenticeship program, as designated by the U.S. Department of Labor, you have to have approved curriculum and recruit from underrepresented communities that includes women, people of color, people age 16 to 24, veterans and people with disabilities.
The move from Iowa City's Council comes 4 years after UI almost closed the center, which elicited strong pushback from union leaders and activists.
That recommendation by the Iowa Board of Regents was rescinded the following February and the UI Labor Center lived on
Last year the center taught 92 classes across the state for more than 2,000 Iowans.
Shawn WIlliams, an Iowa City resident, said she took the program alongside her son and graduated from it. She said her son entered the carpentry apprenticeship after graduating and she is interviewing for job Wednesday.
"This program was very educative and I wanted to let women know that they can participate in this program and it isn't just for men," Williams said.
Washington and Williams were among several speakers who have benefitted from the program and spoke on Tuesday. Several local labor leaders joined in on the praise including Carpenters Local Union 1260 business representative Royce Peterson and Iowa City Federation of Labor President Greg Hearns
Peterson, who is the chairman for the Five Rivers Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Training Center said this program has served them very well since it started by helping people get into the trades. He lauded the program providing CPR, workplace safety skills and English-language training.
"We have had a few people come through this program that we've already placed and I've got nothing but accolades from our contractors from the people we've placed," he said.
"I think is going to do nothing but help us to also service the contractors and developers in the area to build infrastructure in the community," Peterson said.
Hearns, a retired Teamster, said his organization is backing this investment by Iowa City because they believe it will provide opportunity. He said these days kids are sold the idea of going to college instead of seeking trades jobs.
Hearns said the program will provide the Iowa City-area with the best workers and some of the safest workers.
"This program is going to give people an opportunity to be introduced to something they may have not thought about may have not ever dreamed about and it can put them in a position to move up in the community," Hearns said.
Supporting blue-collar work becoming an increasing focus for Iowa City Council
This investment by Iowa City Council is one of several recent initiatives the governing body has taken to support the trades in Iowa City. The City Council accepted a proposal from the Housing Fellowship to help fund a student-built home on a property at 724 Ronalds Street in Iowa City's Goosetown neighborhood.
On Tuesday, Councilor Pauline Taylor said she sees this as a win-win for everyone involved, especially the people who will have the opportunity to get involved in the program and build a future for themselves.
"My late husband went through an apprenticeship program in the building trades and then on to be a journeyman, so I have a soft spot in my heart for anyone who follows that path," said Taylor, who participated over a video link.
Weiner said she also has "skin in this game," since her daughter is finishing up her first year as an apprentice with the carpenter's union. She called the apprenticeship life-changing, saying it's is giving her daughter skills she will use her entire life.
"Not only does it teach people skills and give them a true living wage, but it also allows us as a community to staff a lot of these big projects from within our community without having to bring in people from other states," Weiner said.
George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (515) 350-6307, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge