Gerald Gribbin, construction superintendent with Auld & White, graduated from NEFBA’s carpentry apprentice program in 1994. He’s been with Auld & White for 18 years. From this vantage point, Gribbin has a perspective on the program and how it has affected his life and career.
Here he shares his experience with the program and its impact on his life.
Question: Why did you decide to enter the NEFBA Apprenticeship Program?
Answer: I was working as a carpenter at The Haskell Co., where my dad worked. I had graduated from the Westside Skills Center program as a carpenter. I realized I enjoyed the work, and I wanted to learn everything I could about the trade. I wanted to excel so I could move up.
Q: What do you see as the most important benefit of the NEFBA program?
A: In addition to the skills we needed, the program taught us about team work. Starting a new job with new people can be intimidating. But when you go through the program, sit in the same classes with other students, learn together and develop relationships, you learn a mutual respect for each other. It builds your confidence and you learn to work as part of a team.
Q: How well did the program prepare you for your job?
A: The program certainly gave us a solid knowledge base. And, it gave us an opportunity to be mentored by good teachers. I’m grateful the program existed then and that companies like Haskell and Auld & White offer the opportunity to their employees. The NEFBA apprentice program gave me a trade for life. The classroom instruction was really important, too. You can learn in an environment where when you make a mistake, you’re not criticized or made fun of. It’s a learning experience. You get the training, you retain the information – you take it with you and you use it.
Q: What would you tell someone considering entering the program?
A: I would tell them to jump on board, and the sooner, the better. And, I would tell them to get ready to learn more than pounding nails. It’s the first step toward building a real career.
Q: Would you do it again?
A: Without a doubt and without hesitation. I’m a strong believer in the apprenticeship program. I’m always glad to tell people about it and to encourage a newer generation of carpenters to take that next step and get those four years of training.
Q: Do you think the apprentice program is relevant today? If so, why?
A: The program is probably more relevant than ever. When I see these ads for 90-day skills training programs, it makes me think the company is just trying to fill a spot. It seems to me that kind of training doesn’t prepare you for the real world. Those graduates will get lost on the job. NEFBA’s four-year program takes you through all the necessary steps, and with every step, you gain more confidence, you build character, and you feel better about yourself. You are a better employee.
For more than 40 years, the Northeast Florida Builders Association Apprenticeship Program has trained qualified applicants on a career path in the construction industry. Upon completion of the four-year, earn-while-you-learn program, an apprentice graduate is skilled in a construction trade as a carpenter, electrician, plumber or heating and air-conditioning technician. Participating NEFBA-member employers pay apprentice tuition and salary, and Florida State College at Jacksonville and St. Johns River State College provide the training facilities and instructors.
To learn more about NEFBA’s Apprenticeship Program, call (904) 421-0296.