Careers. Construction. Cleveland.
Cleveland Builds is a worker-centered and
industry-led non-profit
that advances union construction’s ability to
promote careers in the trades and
maintain a diverse qualified workforce.
What We Do
Careers in the trades provide good pay, excellent benefits, paths to career advancement, and fulfillment. We educate high school students and adult career-seekers about these careers at schools and throughout the community.
Contact our Director of Community & Industry Partnerships, Jayson Richardson.
Promote Careers in the Trades
We prepare career-seekers for success in the trades through our Introduction to Union Construction course and Intensive Apprenticeship-Readiness Program.
Click here to get in touch with us to learn more
about our training and how to participate.
Prepare Career-Seekers for
Apprenticeship Success
We partner with local trade unions and contractors to get qualified career-seekers placed in apprenticeships.
Since 2021, more than 250 workers have been placed in 18 different trades.
If you are a representative of a union or a union contractor interested in providing a Cleveland Builds’ graduate with an opportunity,
please contact Director of Community & Industry Partnerships, Jayson Richardson.
Place Workers in Apprenticeships
Training Workers for Success in
Union Construction Apprenticeships
Learn from experienced union tradespeople about career opportunities in the trades by participating in the Introduction to Union Construction and Intensive Apprenticeship-Readiness Program. The Introduction to Union Construction is a twelve-hour program delivered during four three-hour sessions. The Intensive Apprenticeship-Readiness Program is a 40-hour program offered to select career-seekers upon completion of the Introduction to Union Construction.
The explicit goal of this programming is placement in union construction apprenticeships. Those who demonstrate strong employability skills and likelihood to be accepted into & succeed in an apprenticeship before, during, and after the Introduction to Union Construction, will be selected to participate in the Intensive Apprenticeship-Readiness Program. Employability skills include on-time arrival, positive attitude, an interest in learning and growing, and professional communication skills.
The Intensive will be an opportunity to work directly with industry partners who lead training for union apprenticeships at what are known as Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers.
As an industry-led non-profit with a contract with the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Builds requires participants to be drug-free and gives priority to career-seekers who are under the age of 40 and are Cleveland residents. Cleveland Builds also strongly encourages people of color and women to apply.
Career-seekers who successfully complete training, pass a drug test, have a valid driver’s license, and who have access to reliable transportation will be placed in union apprenticeships. Cleveland Builds will also provide participants with ongoing support following placement.
