Mayor Rahm Emanuel today joined Department of Water Management (DWM) Commissioner Randy Connor and Joe Healy, Business Manager, Laborers’ Local 1092 to congratulate the fourth graduating class of the construction laborer apprenticeship program. The rigorous two-year apprenticeship program is built around training a workforce that is capable of working in a safe and efficient manner on City of Chicago projects.

“The City of Chicago is proud of you and what you have done to get to this moment,” said Mayor Emanuel. “The work you will be doing is challenging. It is demanding. But it will make a difference in the lives of our resident. And I thank you for your commitment to this program and the residents of our City.”

The graduating class includes 16 males and nine females. The graduates will be employed in all DWM activities, from reconstruction of the water and sewer distribution system to the reconstruction of the pumping and water treatment facilities to the installation of water meters.

“The Laborers' Union is at the forefront of training a skilled, safe and diverse workforce. These Apprentices worked incredibly hard to get to this point and I hope Chicago's residents are as proud of their workforce as I am." Joe Healy, Business Manager, Laborers' Local 1092

The ceremony helped kicked off National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), a time when leaders in business, labor, education, and other critical partners express their support for apprenticeship. The week highlights the importance of apprenticeship in preparing a highly-skilled workforce to meet the talent needs of employers across diverse industries.

“This program provides an opportunity that leads to a career path that will provide the means to take care of families and serve as an example for those looking to follow in their footsteps,” said Randy Conner, DWM Commissioner. “These are the programs we need to train a diverse workforce and these are the programs we’ll continue investing in.”

The Chicago construction laborers apprenticeship program was first launched in 2012 by DWM and Laborer’s Local 1092 to support the Mayor’s Building a New Chicago infrastructure plan. To date, 180 employees have graduated from the program. The program reflects a CPS and veteran’s preference and is reflective of the diversity of Chicago.

The Mayor’s 10-year plan infrastructure plan includes replacing 880 miles of water main, rehabilitating almost 700 miles of sewer mains, converting three pumping stations from steam to electric power and installing over 200,000 water meters in residents’ homes.

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