News

The best way to ensure a great future is to train for it. Thanks to ongoing investments by the union, that’s becoming more efficient and convenient. The North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund and the North Atlantic States Regional Council will soon be occupying space in a newly renovated building in Rock Tavern, New York.

The building will allow members in the Hudson Valley to access sophisticated training without travelling to Albany each time they need it. The building will provide about 25,000 square feet of office, classroom and training space. Union staff will occupy about a third of that, with the training program using the rest.

“We know that making training facilities convenient for our apprentices and journeylevel workers is crucial,” said Tom Fischer, Executive Director of NASCTF. “Part of our ongoing plan is to create and maintain excellent facilities and programs wherever they are needed to serve union carpenters and the contractors that rely on their skills. Ninety percent of our training is hands-on. You can’t do that without investing in space and equipment, so that’s what we do.”

The Rock Tavern facility is the latest to undergo significant expansion or upgrades in recent years. Other locations where the union has invested significantly include Manchester, New Hampshire; Yalesville, Connecticut; and Albany, Syracuse and Hauppaugue, New York. Plans for renovations at the Warwick, Rhode Island, site were being developed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. They are expected to be revisited this year.

“Living in the community, training in the community, and working in the community is a benefit to all of our construction partners, as well as an enhancement to the quality of life for our members,” Fischer said.