The PDC 30 apprenticeship is a three-year program. Apprentices attend a full day of class one day, every other week.

Completion Requirements:

A Certificate of Completion requires attendance for 10 quarters, plus two additional Evaluation Quarters—one after Quarter 5 and another after Quarter 10—for a total of 12 quarters, or three years. The program requires the completion of 20 “Course Credits” each quarter, plus a total of 40 “Leadership and Development Credits ” (LDCs) completed over the course of Quarters 1 through 10. 

Programs of Study:

Apprentices are classified by trade and participate in one of three Programs of Study: painting and decorating, drywall finishing, or glazing. A Student Guide and Course Catalog is provided, which outlines the courses for each trade area. A record of all earned credits and certifications provides for a regularly updated record of achievements.

Pay and Other Policies:

The time spent at the school is unpaid; however, apprentices are working regularly on days when they are not attending training at the facility based on the negotiated rate for apprentices, which is based on their achievement of course credit. Attendance is a mandatory condition of employment. Apprentices who do not make satisfactory progress in the program will be removed from the program. Apprentices are not responsible for any tuition, however, routine fees apply to new and continuing union members (union initiation and quarterly dues). 

Once an individual has been deemed eligible for apprenticeship and been hired by an Employer, and the JATF has received a Letter of Intent to Hire, an Apprentice Applicant will be required (1) to become a member of the Union in accordance with the Union’s collective bargaining agreement with the participating Employer and (2) to complete and sign an Apprenticeship Agreement in accordance with the Standards of Apprenticeship. Failure to meet these additional requirements will result in the termination of apprenticeship.