Philly Trade School Hosts Open House For National Apprenticeship Week
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As part of National Apprenticeship Week, a trade school in Northeast Philadelphia held an open house today.
The Finishing Trades Institute is located on Horning Road just off of the Boulevard. Education Director Mike Shurr explains what kinds of trades are taught at the school.
"Commercial painters and wall coverers, bridge painters, they call them industrial bridge and steel painters, dry wall finishers and then we have glaziers, who work with architectural metal and glass."
Derek Collins just graduated in September.
"I spent four years of my life getting some of the best training I could possibly get for free. I also got paid while I was learning here. Coming here, and we get our hands-on training with different types of metals, how to layer, how to drill, the proper way to do everything!"
Joe Clabbers hired Derek and says opportunities abound.
"A journey person with some overtime, which sometimes happens, they could make in excess of $80,000-$100,000 a year."