BRISTOL, PA (March 6, 2023) — Officials of Bucks County Community College (BCCC) and the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council today announced the launch of the “Bucks County Community College Building & Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program”, which is believed to be the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. The 11-week course offers BCCC students the opportunity to study many skilled Building Trades disciplines.

Skilled building and construction workers are in high demand. To help fill the need, BCCC has partnered with local Building Trades unions to offer its students free training and career service assistance. The launch of this new program is funded through a PA Department of Labor and Industry PAsmart grant. Participants will learn from industry experts with extensive experience in their fields at the state-of-the-art Center for Advanced Technologies (CAT) on the Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks in Bristol, PA.

The 11-week, 288-hour curricula will provide the fundamental education necessary for graduates to apply for a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) to potentially secure a high-paying, family-sustaining job. Additionally, students will earn OSHA-10 and Aerial Platform Lift Safety certificates.

“The Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council is ecstatic to be partnering with Bucks County Community College on this unprecedented new Pre-Apprenticeship Program,” said Building Trades Business Manager Ryan N. Boyer. “This innovative program, taught by our experienced Trades’ instructors, will provide students who are interested in a career in the unionized construction trades with industry-specific knowledge and a significant edge on other apprentice training program applicants.”

“Bucks County Community College is proud to join forces with the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council in this historic partnership,” said Dr. Felicia L. Ganther, President of Bucks County Community College. “Bucks is committed to providing students with pathways to meaningful and relevant career opportunities, and this collaboration furthers that commitment. We are thrilled to welcome our first cohort of students to this inaugural program!”

Joining Boyer and Dr. Ganther on the dais were BCCC Board Chair Tom Jennings and Associate Vice President Tracy Timby. 

For many young people, a traditional four-year college degree is not a viable option, for various reasons. The Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council Apprenticeship programs provide young people with the opportunity to “earn while they learn”, along with entry into family-sustaining careers in the unionized construction industry, upon graduation. This unique Pre-Apprenticeship Program being offered by BCCC and the Trades offers participants a potential gateway into a highly-coveted Philadelphia Building Trades Apprenticeship Training Program. 

The inaugural cohort of the BCCC Pre-Apprenticeship Program begins April 10, 2023 and will feature a total of eight students. With the current staff of seven Building Trades instructors, the BCCC Pre-Apprenticeship Program can accommodate as many as 32 students over the next two years under current grant funding.

For more information, contact Program Manager Christine Harvie at [email protected] 

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Ryan Boyer, Philadelphia Building Trades Council, and Dr. Felicia L. Ganther, President of Bucks County Community College sign the official partnership agreement for the Bucks County Community College Building & Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

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Ryan Boyer, Philadelphia Building Trades Council, and Dr. Felicia L. Ganther, President of Bucks County Community College shake hands after signing the official partnership agreement for the Bucks County Community College Building & Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

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(Seated left to right): Jim Keenan, Business Rep., Sheet Metal Local 19, Ryan Boyer, Philadelphia Building Trades Council, Dr. Felicia L. Ganther, President of Bucks County Community College, Tom Jennings, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Bucks County Community College, Tracy Timby, Interim Associate Vice President Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Innovation at Bucks County Community College.

Current students enrolled in the Bucks County Community College Pre-Apprenticeship Industrial Maintenance Training and Pre-Apprenticeship Metalwork Training programs with members of Bucks County Community College leadership and representatives from the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council. The inaugural cohort of the Building & Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program begins April 10, 2023.

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(Seated left to right): Jim Keenan, Business Rep., Sheet Metal Local 19, Ryan Boyer, Philadelphia Building Trades Council, Dr. Felicia L. Ganther, President of Bucks County Community College, Tom Jennings, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Bucks County Community College, Tracy Timby, Interim Associate Vice President Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Innovation at Bucks County Community College.

Bucks County Commissioners Bob Harvie, Gene DiGirolamo, and Diane Marseglia with

with members of Bucks County Community College leadership, representatives from the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council, and trade union members.