About Us | UBC Job Corps

United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) Job Corps is one of the oldest youth apprenticeship readiness programs in the country. Since the 1960s, our curriculum has been helping young people discover their abilities and prepare for success in the construction trades.

We provide individuals ages 16 and older with foundational knowledge in the trades, career planning, on-the-job training, job placement, career support services, and more at over 70 campuses across the country.

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Start Building Your Future Today

If you like working with your hands, problem solving, and learning by doing, UBC Job Corps is a great way to kickstart a rewarding career path. Our pre-apprenticeship programs focus on essential trades skills, safety training, and tool use across a variety of construction trades.

Students who qualify for the program are provided the equivalent of a scholarship, plus room and board, medical care, work clothing, a cash allowance, and counseling. Graduates often transition to Union apprenticeships through the UBC with attractive benefits and the momentum to progress in their craft or pursue higher education.

Work-based learning is the key to a successful career launch after graduating from UBC Job Corps. Our staff and instructors maintain close relationships with contractors and professional organizations, providing students with a direct link to real-life working experiences.

Students who work on these jobs while attending UBC Job Corps earn money while improving their skills and learning what it feels like to actually work in their chosen field.

Plus, the money earned helps to build a healthy financial foundation, one of the most critical first steps on the path to long-term success.

UBC pre-apprenticeship programs provide foundational knowledge in a variety of skilled construction trades, offering a significant advantage in career development.

These programs combine classroom learning with hands-on training, enabling students to acquire practical skills essential for their chosen trade.

They offer a pathway to apprenticeship, where students can earn while they learn, move on to apprenticeship programs in their chosen field and eventually to rewarding, well-paying and stable careers.

Our pre-apprenticeship programs cover eight key areas of the skilled trades:

General Carpentry
Millwrights
Floorcovering
Lathers
Interior Systems
Pile Driving
Residential & Framing
Millwork & Cabinetmaking

Explore the Skilled Trades of the UBC

General Carpentry

General carpenters provide the crucial foundation for concrete, exteriors, roofs, infrastructure, and scaffolding while also crafting fine trim and finish work.

Millwrights

Millwrights install, maintain, diagnose, and repair equipment such as compressors, pumps, conveyors, gas and steam turbines, monorails, and extruders.

Floorcovering

Floorcoverers install a wide variety of flooring materials, including carpet, resilients, wood, laminates, and sport surfaces.

Lathers

Lathers build structural frameworks for plaster and other materials, creating such wonders as theme park attractions and ornamental ceilings.

Interior Systems

Interior systems carpenters specialize in assembling complex systems such as acoustical ceilings, computer-access flooring, metal framing, wall partitions, and office furniture.

Pile Driving

Pile drivers and divers drive steel, concrete, or wood piling into the earth during the early stages of construction.

Residential & Framing

The residential carpenter is an all-around carpenter with experience in nearly every aspect of residential construction.

Millwork & Cabinetmaking

Millworkers and cabinetmakers fabricate and install decorative and functional elements, including trim and molding, cabinetry, ceiling treatments, doors, windows, exposed columns and beams, displays, mantels, staircases, and more.

Helping Women Discover the Trades

Empowering women to explore careers in the trades is one of the priorities of our mission. This is where UBC Job Corps training really shines. Our programs are designed to break down barriers and open up opportunities for women, from carpentry to floorcovering and more.

As members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Union, our instructors work with current members who are happy to visit their programs and tell students more about what it’s like to be a woman working in construction and their chosen skilled trade.

Our programs also have female instructors and frequent guest appearances from women working in the field to mentor students — proof that the trades today don’t care about gender, just work ethic and skill.

By providing a supportive environment, hands-on training, and mentorship, we aim to inspire and equip young women with the skills and confidence needed to succeed on the jobsite. Join a community committed to diversity and inclusion, where you can build a rewarding career and help shape the future of construction and America’s infrastructure.

Andie B.

2022 Job Corps Graduate

UBC Member

Breaking Down Barriers, Building Opportunities

Women in the skilled trades are breaking ground and redefining the landscape of the construction industry. By stepping into roles traditionally dominated by men, these trailblazers are not only building structures, they’re also forging new paths for future generations.

Their work is a testament to the strength that comes from inclusivity and the importance of providing equal opportunities for all in shaping a more skilled, resilient, and innovative workforce.