Learning a Trade

“Making the Nation” has a caption—“In the U.S., early apprenticeships perpetuated skills until child labor laws intervened”—that could leave the mistaken impression that apprenticeship is dependent upon child labor. As a retired union laborer, I am most proud of our labor-management apprenticeship programs. Some $1.5 billion is invested annually by the unionized construction industry in apprenticeship, conducted at over 1,900 training facilities. Apprenticeship is a valuable opportunity to join a high-paying occupation with benefits. It requires no student loans or tuition payments—simply the willingness to learn and work hard.

— Mike Matejka | Normal, Illinois