Brock is in his first year as an Operating Engineer Apprentice. After graduating with a four-year degree, he couldn’t work in his field of study. “I bounced around from one dead end job to another,” he says. In the beginning of 2020, Brock learned about a program called Building Strong Communities, an apprenticeship readiness program sponsored by the union construction industry, the Metropolitan Council, the McKnight ... View Article
Archives for November 2020
Bre Ana, a first year apprentice with the Iron Workers
Bre Ana is a first-year apprentice with the Iron Workers. She says the best part of being an apprentice is getting to see the results of your work. “Even after an 8-hour shift, you can see your work. The beams you raised, the welding you finished. I never dreamed there was a job like this out there.” Bre Ana is currently working at the Metro Transit Rail Yard on Hiawatha Avenue and says it is her favorite job so far. “When I ... View Article
Mahaila, 3rd Year Apprentice
Mahaila, a 3rd year registered union apprentice with the Operating Engineers from Cloquet, is 1,000 training work hours away from becoming a journeyworker. The majority of Mahaila’s work has been on the road in International Falls rebuilding roads from the Canadian border. “I like to travel, and this job has me travelling a lot. I like going to new places, enjoying the scenery,” Mahaila says. The best part of being a 3rd year ... View Article
Statement from Harry Melander on the Passing of Tim McGough
“Last week one of our Construction Industry’s leaders, Tim McGough, passed away unexpectedly. Tim McGough and the McGough family have been the “benchmark” of what an Industry should be. From the buildings they constructed that cover our state to the people that wear the McGough logo, Tim McGough and the McGough family made sure that no stone was ever laid without the care and consideration for its clients and the people whose hands carved ... View Article