There is a boom in housing and commercial construction going on in Iowa right now. On top of that, billions of dollars of federal funding are flowing into Iowa for infrastructure and clean energy projects. As a result, there is a very real need for more workers in the building and construction industry in this state.
For anyone who may have thought about a career working with your hands, now is a great time to consider a career in the skilled trades. The legislation behind the federal infrastructure funding ensures that the jobs created through these historic investments will lead to family-sustaining jobs with good pay and benefits. Additionally, the Inflation Reduction Act provides expansive tax credits for businesses that pay prevailing wages and employ registered apprentices.
Iowa’s building trades unions proudly partner with many educational and community organizations to increase the number of women, people of color, and formerly incarcerated individuals in our registered apprenticeship programs. We recognize that for too long there were economic, educational, and social barriers for these groups in pursuing careers in the unionized construction industry.
According to a 2021 research study conducted by the nonpartisan Midwest Economic Policy Institute, Iowa’s union apprenticeship programs are leading in diversity and showing higher success rates. The report found that in this state women are significantly more likely to complete their programs in a union apprenticeship compared to a non-union apprenticeship, and that union apprenticeship programs account for 70% of the state’s female apprentices.
America was built by unions, and Iowa’s building trades unions are committed to ensuring that the jobs created by investment in our state lead to investment in our workforce. With stronger protections for union rights and public support for unions rising, we want to continue to see opportunities for everyone to build a career in the construction industry through registered apprenticeships.