Ironworkers National Training Fund

Stay safe, hydrated, and beat the heat!!

Outdoor construction work can put you at risk for skin cancer. Wear sunscreen, protective clothing, and stay in the shade when you can! Read more about this hazard and how to protect yourself here: https://tinyurl.com/2p8937yp

Ironworkers Build America - We Build Ironworkers 🙌
The Ironworker Direct Entry 'Pre' Apprenticeship Program (IDEA) funded by the Apprenticeship and Training Department is an 80 hour, 10-day, intensive training that focuses on underrepresented populations and communities, and provides Direct Entry into the sponsoring Local Union and Apprenticeship. This years cohort focused on serving 11 Veterans with the career opportunity that Registered Apprenticeship provides. We use a standardized curriculum that can be integrated into any district council or local area! We plan on continuing these cohorts each year and are looking forward to hosting them all over North America. Thanks to all the District Councils and Local Unions who sponsored a Veteran for the training! Huge shout out to Ironworkers Local 229 San Diego for hosting this years event, and thank you to all of our vendors who donated consumables and PPE.

IW Direct Entry 'Pre' Apprenticeship - IDEA A nationally standardized direct entry pre apprenticeship for Ironw...

11 students from 8 states attend the first 'post Covid' Ironworkers International Veterans Pre-Apprenticeship!! 11 Veterans, sponsored by their district councils, attend the 10-day intensive pre-apprenticehsip training at Local 229 in San Diego. The graduates will return after the 10-day training to their locals where they will get direct entry and placed on the job site, giving them access to a living wager career and some of the best training in the building trades!!

Save the dates -

2026 Ironworkers Annual Training Program
Ann Arbor Michigan
July 13th - 17th
New courses available -

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Awareness.

Financial Literally for Apprentices.

Bolting Systems Certification Prep.

Certified Safety Specialist Series.


2026 Outstanding Apprenticeship Competition
September 30th-October 3rd
Hosted by Ironworkers Local 5, Largo Maryland.

We had an awesome day networking with industry, contractors, local union leadership, and apprenticeship staff.

Mass Timber is here, and here to stay!! Workforce development and capturing the market are in full swing nationwide!!

Huge shout out to IMPACT - Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust for putting together the awesome display that showcases our ability to be the best in the mass timber industry.

With over 30 training centers across North America conducting mass timber training - Ironworkers National Training Fund and IMPACT - Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust - Paving the way in workforce development training, signatory contractor support and training, and erecting mass timber across the nation!! The most skilled, safe, and efficient, the IRONWORKERS….

Local 29 Portland knows what’s up!!
Ironworkers training for and erecting mass timber.

Greetings.

Is your local union at 25% apprentice membership?!? If not, you may want to look into grant funding to help market, promote, and expand your program.

Our previous administration under Bidens leadership made one of the largest investments in registered apprenticeships, pre apprenticeship, as well as expanding and supporting existing registered apprenticeships that we have ever seen.

As our new administration moves in and begins to structure and promote their agenda, we anticipate these funding models will continue to reduce drastically, if not disappear.

The good news is that much of the already awarded funding to our states to do this work will continue to find its way to the local level over the next four to five years.

As some of the final grants are being worked through, I urge you all to reach out to your local government, workforce development boards, and building trades to see if there is a way your programs can align and take advantage of some of these grant structures.

The Department of Labors 85-million-dollar state apprenticeship expansion grant mentioned below is one you should all be watching closely and seeing if there is a way your programs can partner with your state agencies for the funding.

Here is the link to the grant. https://www.apprenticeship.gov/investments-tax-credits-and-tuition-support/open-funding-opportunities

Please let us know if we can assist in your efforts.

Thank you, and good luck on the grants.

James Owens
Iron Workers National Training Fund
Grant & Training Specialist
1750 New York Ave NW, Lower Lobby
Washington, D.C. 20006

"Humility..... Never announce that you are a Knight; simply behave as one.
You are better than no one, and no one is better than you."

E.Hawke

Open Funding Opportunities Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Great discussion today!! Remember, the National Training Fund offers an IW Rigging and Signal person CERTIFICATION… Reach out to your local training center and ask if they offer the certification exam. 😁

A panel of crane and rigging experts shared best practices this morning during the second general session of the 2025 North American Iron Workers/IMPACT Conference.