Anderson awarded tools

APPRENTICES GET WORKING TOOLS



Jake Anderson of Postville was presented with the working tools of a mason on Wednesday, March 16 by members of the masonry industry. Jake, along with 20 other students from acrossIowa, is enrolled in the Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers Local #3 Training Class in Des Moines.



At the ceremony, each student received a hard hat, safety glasses, and a brick trowel donated by the Marshalltown Company. “Our members are proud to part of this effort to train new masons who will help us build the future,” said Dick Felice, MII Board President.



The students spend seven weeks learning the basics of their craft through both classroom instruction and hands-on experience, all under the watchful eye of trained and experienced instructors. They will also learn other aspects of their profession, including basic building design, properties of building materials, safety, and materials estimating.



After completing the course, students will continue their apprenticeship with on-the-job training, a process that can last up to four years. Eventually these students will become journeymen masons and be at the top of the union wage scale.



“This program is one of the best in the country and the training these students receive will prepare them for a life-long and rewarding career in the growing field of masonry,” said Russ Gunderson, Apprenticeship Coordinator. “Good masons are in demand and if they don’t already have a job waiting for them, they will by the time they graduate,” he added.



A recognized leader in the industry since 1975, the Masonry Institute of Iowa is committed to providing service, leadership, education, and promotion in support of its members and the masonry field statewide. Institute members include bricklayers, laborers, mason contractors, brick and block manufacturers and distributors, cement companies, masonry product suppliers, architects, and engineers – this year celebrating 30 years of helping to build a better Iowa.