Jobs in unionized construction trades are among the few forms of employment that provide significant, rapid, upward mobility to people who fall into the category of “hard to employ.” However, such jobs have also historically been racially exclusive. In many cities, community-based organizations have acted as workforce intermediaries to address this issue of access. Judging the success of these programs is difficult. This paper compares and offers explanations for the different outcomes of two construction trade pre-apprenticeship programs that targeted a hard-to-employ demographic. Both were run by the Building Bridges Project of Arise Chicago. Both were intended to increase minority access to unionized building trade apprenticeship programs, and ultimately to union work in construction. The self-selection process, the high level of support provided to participants in one class but not the other, and a close organizational relationship to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) at a time when that union explicitly linked training with organizing made the critical difference in outcomes. These factors should be considered when planning future jobs programs. A jobs program designed to open up access to good jobs for the hard-to-employ should proceed by self-selection, substantial support, and viable links to the entities that control access to the work such as, in this case, union apprenticeship programs.

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