Building Futures Program Helps DC Resident Land Job

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Monday was a big day for DC resident Gloria Morrison. The newly-minted Building Futures graduate (photo) celebrated her first day on the job as a Sheet Metal apprentice. "She was hired by UNITED Sheet Metal last Friday and started working Monday as a first-year Apprentice on a construction project by the Navy Yard,” said Community Services Agency Client Services Coordinator Sylvia Casaro. Morrison had graduated from the Building Futures program in August with a Math Achievement Award, “but I can’t afford to miss a chance," she said, and signed up for Sheet Metal Local 100's weekly math classes. On the day she graduated from the Building Futures program in August she vowed "to score the best I can" on Local 100's aptitude test; “I want to become a sheet metal worker.” Her dedication paid off: when Morrison completed the math review, she scored highly enough to make the cut for the DC DOES Step Up program. Morrison took that high score and ran with it, figuring “what if I am able to take the aptitude test and score high enough to be accepted into Local 100 apprenticeship program right away?” Sure enough, Morrison took the test last Friday at Local 100 and did well enough to be immediately accepted into their apprenticeship program. That same day she filed her application with UNITED Sheet Metal to report to work on Monday.