Operating Engineers Highlight Need For Skilled Workers During Apprenticeship Week

The Operating Engineers 324 today highlighted the growing need to recruit apprentices to the highly-skilled building trades during National Apprenticeship Week, Nov. 13-18.

On Monday morning, Operating Engineers 324 hosted representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Governor’s office, and Michigan’s Congressional and Senate leaders at their Construction Careers Training Center in Howell. Each spoke about the need to bolster Michigan skilled workforce.

“With our state’s infrastructure needs at an all-time high, we must continue to recruit and train skilled trades talent right here in Michigan,” said Douglas W. STOCKWELL, Operating Engineers 324 Business Manager and General Vice President.

According to a national report, 60 percent of contractors had trouble finding skilled workers in 2017.

Operating Engineers are the highly skilled workers who run and maintain the cranes, excavators and other heavy machinery needed to build Michigan. In August, Operating Engineers opened their newest training facility in Gladstone. The Operating Engineers also operate a training center in Detroit, in addition to the Howell facility.