Category Archives: Building Trades

By Susan Elise Campbell

Carpenters Local Union 291 is not rapidly growing but has the potential to, according to its president, James Margiotta. Skilled union carpenters can make a six-figure income with benefits, and no vocational school education or even a high school diploma is required, he said.  

“Membership has been at the status quo the better part of the past 20 years,” said Margiotta, who has been a member of Local 291 for 25 years and in several of its elected positions for 11 years.

There are 1,600 members currently in 14 counties encompassing the Capital Region and North Country of New York. There are surges in membership at times but Margiotta said the union is “staying afloat because of a two-fold issue.”

“One reason growth isn’t as good as it could be is the ability to find skilled people that could command the wages that we negotiate for members,” he said. 

“There has also been an issue of finding younger people interested in starting this kind of career in the carpentry trade,” said Margiotta. 

The Saratoga Builders Association, Inc. has announced the awarding of two student $1,000 cash scholarships. One is the annual SBA Scholarship and the second is the annual “Bob Best” Memorial Scholarship.

One recipient is Amy Grumbling of Amsterdam. She is currently attending Russell Sage College pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree in Interior and Spatial Design. She also works for Teakwood Builders.

The other recipient is Jude Leight of Ballston Spa. He is a senior at Ballston Spa High School and will be attending Hudson Valley Community College to pursue a degree in Construction Tech and Management.

The Saratoga Builders Association makes these student scholarship awards available annually to high school seniors or college students who are planning to pursue a career in the construction industry.

By Paul Post

In the 1989 baseball classic, “Field of Dreams,” a mysterious voice tells character Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), “If you build it, they will come.”

 These days, Kinsella might have a hard time finding the help he needs as a nationwide labor shortage continues to impact the building trades industry, a problem that’s especially acute in the Greater Capital Region.

 “There’s not nearly enough bodies to fill the openings,” said Chris Dudley, a heavy equipment instructor at the WSWHE BOCES center in Hudson Falls. “All the big employers like DA Collins and Peckham Materials are really hurting for heavy equipment operators, truck drivers and laborers. State, county and town highway departments are reaching out to us, looking to hire kids directly out of high school. They’ve never had to do that before. Everybody’s really having issues.”

 There are so few truck drivers that the state recently lowered the age for obtaining a Class A commercial drivers license from 21 to 18, allowing more young adults to drive tractor-trailers.

By Christine Graf

At a time when local contractors are struggling to find qualified skilled trade workers, Local 773 Plumbers & Steamfitters has at least 40 qualified applicants anxious to join the union’s five-year apprenticeship program. 

The union represents more than 450 plumbers, pipe fitters, steam fitters, refrigeration fitters, and service technicians in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties. The local headquarters is in Glens Falls.

“I am seeing no shortage, and I know that I can recruit the people I need because we pay a living wage,” said Mike Jarvis, business manager at Local 773. “People see that they will have a future with us. They know they will be treated right.”

Despite being overwhelmed with applicants, Local 773 has been able to accept just three people into the Glens Falls apprenticeship program so far this year. Jarvis expects that number to top out at six, with an additional three apprentices likely be selected from another large applicant pool in Plattsburgh where the union has its second location, he said.

Expanding its apprenticeship program will be possible only if the union is able to secure additional signatory union contractors. 

In recent years, Jarvis and Brian Kill, business agent at Local 773, have been working to attract contractors from the residential and light commercial sectors. 

By Christine Graf

As the skilled labor shortage reaches an all-time high, educators and trade professionals are working to eliminate the widespread perception that vocational training is not a viable career path for students of all academic levels. 

While a four-year college degree costs an average of $127,000, a trade school degree averages just $33,000. Although college graduates earn an average of $16,900 more than those working in the skilled trades, the pay gap is shrinking as companies pay higher salaries to fill open positions in various trades.

Data provided by the U.S. Department of Education indicates that workers with trade school training are slightly more likely to be employed than those with academic credentials. They are also more likely to be working in their field of study and less likely to be burdened by crippling college debt. The amount of student debt in the U.S. has surpassed $1.73 billion.

According to Mike Martell, assistant business manager at IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) 236, students and their parents no longer believe that college is the only option. 

“I think it was the case several years ago where high schools and counselors were really pushing people in the direction of college, but I think that has kind of turned the corner a little bit,” he said. “I believe that more people are realizing that a career in the trades makes sense because you aren’t accruing all sort of college debt. You don’t need to go to college and get a four-year degree in order to get a decent job. People are starting to realize that there is another way that is a viable alternative.”

Curtis Lumber has partnered with several local companies in the construction industry to help graduating seniors at WSWHE BOCES and Questar III BOCES in Career and Tech Ed programs. 

Curtis Lumber has spearheaded an effort to provide over 250 tool bags filled with some starter items in support of graduating seniors at  those schools who will be entering the workforce in the areas of  construction, heavy equipment, HVAC and welding. 

Participating companies include Belmonte Builders, Bennett Contracting, Callanan Industries, DeGraff Bloom Customer Builders, DA Collins, Hoosick Valley Contractors, Malta Development, Munter Enterprises, North Atlantic State Regional Council of Carpenters, Otterbeck Builders, Teakwood Builders, Trojanski Builders, Turner Construction, Weyerhaeuser, and Witt Construction.

The tool bags will be given to the students through the middle of June. 

“The trades are in desperate need of labor,” said Doug Ford, vice president at Curtis Lumber. “We wanted to do something to show our support and appreciation for students embarking on a career in the trades.”

The Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES has named Dr. Turina Parker as the new WSWHE BOCES district superintendent and chief executive officer.

Parker has been assistant superintendent for educational and support programs for the WSWHE BOCES. She is set to begin her official duties as district superintendent on Aug. 16.

She replaces James Dexter, who is retiring in August after 12 years of service to WSWHE BOCES. 

“Dr. Parker has demonstrated the ability to lead and work cooperatively across the region,” WSWHE BOCES President John A. Rieger said. “We are confident that Dr. Parker will build on our successes, fulfill our strategic plans, and provide a vision that will take the organization to the next level and provide even stronger support and opportunities for the education of our children and the school districts that we serve.”

With a career spanning 20 years, Parker is an experienced school district leader, with a passion for leading and supporting schools. She previously served as Director of Day Treatment and Principal at St. Catherine’s R. & E. May School in Albany, where her experience also included serving as the coordinator for curriculum and assistant principal. 

She has served as assistant superintendent for educational and support programs for the past 14 years, including serving as principal for special programs, executive principal, and executive director for educational and support programs. 

By Christine Graf

The nationwide skilled trade labor shortage has reached critical levels as baby boomers continue to retire. Baby boomers make up the majority of the skilled trade workforce, and there aren’t enough qualified younger workers to take their places, say people in the industry.

An estimated 31 million skilled trade workers retired in 2020, and many of those jobs remain unfilled. Sixty-two percent of companies report that they struggle to fill skilled trade labor positions.

“Ten thousand baby boomers are retiring every day. We have to bring in the next generation to fill those jobs,” said Dr. Jonathan Ashdown, dean of science, technology, engineering, and math at Hudson Valley Community College. “We’re doing everything we can at Hudson Valley to meet the demands for today in terms of helping to solve the skills gap issue.”

Local union representatives for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 236 in Albany and UA Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 773 in Glens Falls report that their apprentice programs are in high demand. Both unions have long waiting lists for their multiple-year programs.

According to Mike Martell, assistant business manager at IBEW Local 236, they typically have hundreds of applicants for the approximately 50 spots that are available in their apprenticeship program each year. Union apprenticeships are typically in high demand because union jobs offer above average pay and benefit packages. Local 236 apprentices earn a starting wage of more than $17 an hour and receive an excellent benefit package.

By Christine Graf

McRoberts Development LLC President Mark McRoberts is moving forward with plans to construct two buildings on a 6.4-acre parcel of land located at 11 Liebich Lane in Halfmoon.

The estimated cost of the project is more than $5 million.

“It will be my first major development project,” said McRoberts who is also president of Gridworks by McRoberts.

Gridworks is an interior commercial contractor business that specializes in metal framing, drywall, taping, insulation, and acoustical ceilings.

McRoberts started the company in 1992 shortly after graduating from University of Arizona. He learned the trade by working alongside his father, a master carpenter who specialized in acoustical ceilings. His father, Richard, had a long career at Davis Acoustical in Troy.

Plans for a 50,000-square-foot industrial/warehouse facility and a 10,000-square-foot industrial/warehouse facility were submitted to the town engineer at the beginning of June.

“We’re waiting for comments and then it will go in front of the Planning Board for approval,” said McRoberts, noting that he hopes to break ground in mid-July.

Environmental Design Partnership LLP of Clifton Park is the consulting engineer for the project. McRoberts will assume general contractor responsibilities.