Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust

Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust (NWLETT) provides continuous workforce education and training to meet industry needs, build careers, and increase employers’ competitive advantage. The organization has operated for 40 years as of 2023. It became accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE) in 2021 and operates under a.edu domain.

The apprenticeship program offers free training, free housing while attending supplemental classes at Kingston or Satsop campuses, free meals, job placement, and a paycheck beginning on the first day of on-the-job training. Apprentices in Washington and Northern Idaho (from Lewiston to Canadian border) complete 6000 hours of on-the-job training and 480 hours of supplemental classroom training, typically over 3 to 4 years. Apprentices in Utah complete 4000 hours of on-the-job training and 320 hours of supplemental classroom training. Wages for first-year apprentices in Western Washington begin at 60 percent of journeyman scale, with increases at each 1000-hour increment of on-the-job training and 80 hours of supplemental classroom training. Upon completion, apprentices achieve the rank of Journeyman Laborer.

Construction Craft Laborers perform diverse and complex functions on commercial construction sites including site preparation, hazard elimination, concrete mixing and placement, equipment operation, material distribution, demolition, and support for other craft workers. On heavy civil and highway projects, laborers clear work zones, install traffic control devices, install utilities infrastructure, operate specialized equipment including jackhammers and pavement breakers, and place concrete and asphalt. Environmental laborers safely remove asbestos, lead, radioactive waste and hazardous materials. Specialty work includes tunnel construction and confined space operations, which require high levels of training and experience.

Training facilities are located at Kingston and Satsop in Washington, and at West Jordan in Utah. The Kingston site offers on-site laundry facilities, TV lounge, and board games. Housing is provided at Kingston and Satsop for two-week courses. Courses run one day, one week, or two weeks, typically eight hours per day, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. To 5:00 p.m. Travel reimbursement is provided upon successful course completion, calculated as one round trip from the apprentice’s local union hall to the training site.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, provide proof of a valid driver’s license, and pass a drug test. No upfront skills or knowledge are required. The program serves Washington, Northern Idaho, and Utah through affiliated Laborers Local unions: Local 238 in Spokane, Local 242 in Des Moines, Local 252 in Tacoma, Local 292 in Everett, Local 295 in West Jordan Utah, Local 335 in Vancouver, and Local 348 in Richland.