New Detroit apprentice school for carpenters and millwrights means jobs, opportunity

DETROIT (FOX 2) - "I'm excited to be working in Detroit because being a native of Detroit wing up here my own life ... and it's really empowering my community," said Lawrence Hunt Jr.

Hunt is a carpenter apprentice with Local 687 and he is excited to be building his future while helping the city.

 
He is one of the apprentices that will be using his hands to build a new apprentice school for carpenters and millwrights in the Oakman Blvd area in Detroit.  
  
"I am proud of the partnership with the Detroit City Council and maybe most importantly with our contractors, and with the young men and women who want to be in the construction trade, and then we're going to give them that opportunity," said Thomas Lutz. 

Lutz is the executive secretary-treasurer of Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights. The brand new training center will be 147,000 square feet.
 
Mayor Mike Duggan helped lure the project into the city bringing with it tens of millions of dollars and countless jobs. 
 
"It will be things like manipulation areas for carpenters and millwrights there will be flooring modules and mock-ups, there will be a 30-booth welding shop so people can continue to support the infrastructure of our state," Lutz said. "That entire thing will be over $30 million investment right in the city of Detroit, right on easy access at 96 just north of 94." 

From the bridge to the new Hudson's project, the city is ripe with opportunity.  It is all tuition-free. Books, training all covered and $15 an hour to start. Incremental raisers can get you to $60,000. 
   
Hunt cannot wait. 

"Young Detroiters like me, I'm only 21 years old, when they see people like me, they can actually understand that it doesn't matter how old you are come out where you are come from," he said. "Being able to get out there and make an effort to try to find these great jobs and do things like this, it will help them."

Help them while helping build his career in the city he grew up in. The facility slated to open in the fall of 2021 will offer countless opportunities for the noble cause of building something with your own hands. 

"It doesn't matter if you're an adult looking for a Patrick to change careers or if you're a high school graduate who is looking to build a career in skilled trade cut out or maybe just a young person wants to explore carpentry or millwrights, pile drivers or any of the other trades we represent you," Lutz said. "This will be the opportunity for all ages and all skill levels to join the union as construction skilled trade."

There are also health care benefits and investment opportunities. This all kicks off when the school opens in the fall of 2021.