Career Services

Local Union #731: Laborers Recruit Apprentices

The Joint Apprenticeship Committee for the Laborers Union #731 will conduct a recruitment from March 3, 2014 through March 14, 2014 for 30 skilled construction craft laborer apprentices, State Labor Commissioner Peter M. Rivera announced on February 4, 2014 at Astoria, New York.

Applications will be available at the Local Union #731 Training Fund at 3411 35th Avenue, Astoria, NY from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, during the recruitment period. Applications will be accepted during the recruitment period or until 300 applications have been issued, whichever comes first.

The Committee requires that applicants:

  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Must have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (G.E.D.); proof required at the time of indenture.
  • Must pass WorkKeys Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information assessments.
  • Must take and pass a drug test at the time of indenture, at the expense of the Training Fund.
  • Must have reliable transportation to work site and related instruction.
  • Must submit proof of any technical education, trade-related adult or continuing education, and trade-related and general work experience (i.e. contractor's pay stubs and affiliation of the contractor, or any other proof of general work experience).
  • Must attend and complete a three-and-a-half-day pre-apprenticeship class, if selected, to include:

General construction course
Hands-on assessment, to include:

  • Hand excavation of 4'x4'x3' test pits.
  • Back fill by hand and compact 12" lifts using jumping jack rammers and plate tampers.
  • Demolish concrete slab and wall with 60 & 90 lb. pneumatic breakers.
  • Load broken concrete into dumpster using wheelbarrows.
  • Saw cut concrete and rebar using demolition saws.
  • Set up carpenters work bench using horses, plywood, and 4'x4' lumber.
  • Bring out tools including Skil Saw, electric drill, sawzall, generator and powder-actuated nail gun.
  • Set up 3" trash pump & 3" mud sucker and pump water back and forth between 55-gallon drums.
  • Cut various sizes of wood with chain saws.
  • Fill sand bags and stack on pallet. Relocate sand bags, by hand, approximately 50' to other pallet and restack.

For further information, applicants should contact their nearest New York State Department of Labor office or the Local Union #731 Training Fund at 718-752-9860.

Apprentice programs registered with the Department of Labor must meet standards established by the Commissioner.  Under state law, sponsors of programs cannot discriminate against applicants because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, disability or marital status.  Women and minorities are encouraged to submit applications for apprenticeship programs.  Sponsors of programs are required to adopt affirmative action plans for the recruitment of women and minorities.