Congratulations to Nashville’s newest Carpenter Union apprentices – all the products of a unique program created to address the skilled labor shortage in the region.

An Interior Systems Boot Camp pre-apprenticeship program is presented by the Mid-South Carpenters Training Trust Fund (MSCTTF) training professionals. The goal is to mold area men and women into productive interior systems apprentices to answer the need of local contractors’ need for skilled carpenters.

A group of focused Nashville men and women completed the camp and learned the fundamentals of metal framing and sheetrock hanging. For 10 hours a day, four days a week for four straight weeks, students trained in safety (OSHA 10), measuring, material handling, correct fastening procedures, building muscle memory of screw placement and depth, correct cutting procedures for sheetrock and metal studs/track, wall layout, wall construction, aerial lift, and other pertinent building skills.

The draw for participants: If they achieve perfect attendance and successfully completed skill testing, they will be elevated to second-year apprentice status and guaranteed a job at the end of the Boot Camp. All applicants of the Nashville camp are now working for union contractors in the Nashville area.

This is another in the series of Bootcamps the Mid-South Carpenter Training Program is producing throughout Tennessee and Alabama. The first Camp was based at the Oak Ridge Training Center. All participants were hired immediately after that Camp ended.

The Nashville Camp participants all are now members of Nashville Carpenters Local 223 of the Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council. On the last day of camp, each student was given all the hand tools they used during their training. The Council also sponsored a final day skills competition and presented the winner, Morris Castillo, with a three-piece drill set.