Want to Join Carpenters Union in Alaska?

Now that you made the decision that you would like to become a carpenter, you might be thinking what’s the next move to take?

Becoming an apprentice is the best approach to getting into this profession. The apprenticeship program is designed for those who have no experience and for those who have some skills.

This is a great way to earn a living while learning the trade. You get exposed to the actual job under the supervision of more skilled carpenters.

The program usually lasts for 4 years. Just like any other trade, it is a mix of classroom instructions and on-the-job training.

What I really like about the apprenticeship program is it suits best to those without prior knowledge of this craft.

If you want to become an apprentice and want to join a carpenters union in Alaska, you can apply at Alaska Carpenters Training Trust, please see the address and contact below.

• Alaska Carpenters Training Trust
  6 Timberland Drive, Fairbanks, AK, Phone: (907) 452-4626, Fax: (907) 456-5542
  8751 King Street, Anchorage, AK, Phone: (907) 344-1541, Fax: (907) 349-5823
  Their apprenticeship program extends up to 7,000 hours to complete, approximately 4 years

To apply, the requirements you need are the following:

• Complete the application form, which you can download from here.  
• You must be 18 years old and above, although there is no upper age limit
• You must be physically fit and in good health condition as the nature of the job demands it.
• You must be a resident of the state of Alaska, you can show proof of residency or legal status.
• You must have a valid driver’s license
• You must be a social security card
• You must have a high school diploma, transcript, or GED as its equivalent
• You must undergo substance abuse testing upon acceptance into the program

If you complete the requirements, send the application form together with the requirements via fax or drop it off personally at their office, depending on the training center where you want to apply, see the addresses above.

The costs you have to spend to get accepted into the program are the $300 book fee and a $750 tool requirement. As of this writing, that is the amount the union is requiring. During the first year in the program, apprentices are paid $23 per hour plus retirement and health benefits.

The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters and ABC of Alaska also offer an apprenticeship, to contact them, please see the information below.

• Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
  Local Union 1243, 25 Timberland Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99707, 907-452-3862 office, 907-456-3582 fax
  Local Union 1281, 407 Denali St., Suite 100, Anchorage, AK 99501, 907-276-3533 office, 907-276-7962 fax
  
  
• ABC of Alaska
  301 Arctic Slope Ave. Suite 100 Anchorage, AK 995187
  (907) 565-5600 FAX: (907) 565-5645
  Offers apprenticeship program in carpentry

Dues You Will Pay If You’re a Union Member

If you will go apprenticeship under Alaska Carpenters Training Trust, you will pay monthly dues of around $21-30 per month.

If you choose the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, if you go under Local 1281 the dues you have to pay is $27 per month, and a $2 processing fee will also be charged. While in Local 1243, the monthly dues are $30 and the processing is $1.50.

Both the journeymen and apprentices are responsible to pay their dues because it is not a good idea to fall behind on the dues; union members pay dues in advance for the entire year.

Carpentry Training Schools in Alaska

For some reason you were not accepted into the union and want to take carpenter training in Alaska, here are the schools you can enroll in:

• Alaska Apprenticeship Training Coordinators Association
  520 E 34th Ave, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
  (907) 562-0075; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  
  
• University of Alaska Fairbanks
  College of Rural Community Development
  1731 South Chandalar Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775
  907-474-7143; 907-474-7034
  
  
• University of Alaska Southeast
  11120 Glacier Highway, Juneau, Alaska 99801-8697
  (877) 465-4827
  Offers two (2) Carpentry Degree programs
  
  
• Ilisagvik College
  Narl Facility, Barrow, Alaska 99723
  (907) 852-3333
  Offers one (1) Carpentry Degree program.
  
  
• King Tech High School
  2650 E Northern Lights Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99508
  Phone: 907-742-8900
  Opportunity for direct entry into carpenters union
  
  
• Alaska Works Partnership
  161 Klevin St. Suite 203 & 207 Anchorage, AK 99518
  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; (907) 569-4704
  Offers basic carpentry training
  
  
• Juneau Construction Academy
  210 Ferry Way, Juneau AK 99801
  (907) 586-5718 or (800) 478-6660
  
  Galena Interior Learning Academy
  P.O. Box 359, Galena, AK 99741
  Phone: 907-656-2053; Fax: 907-656-4589

For woodworking classes, here are the schools you can enroll at:

• The Folk School Fairbanks
  2300 Airport Way, Cabin 66, Fairbanks
  P.O. Box 83572, Fairbanks, AK 99708
  907-457-1219; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.ol
  
  
• Alaska Woodturners Association
  PO Box 91473; Anchorage, Alaska 99509-1473
  Phone: Phone: (907) 337-3189

Criteria for Choosing the Best Carpentry School/Program

• One of the important considerations when looking for a carpenter training school is to find an institution with a close connection to the industry. Doing so will maximize your job prospects since the school can refer you to employers who are searching for talented individuals like you.
  
  
• Find a program that incorporates other certifications such as the OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour safety training, NCCER Core; NCCER Carpentry 1 & 2, it would be helpful if the Red Cross First Aid and CPR training certifications are included in the program as well since those are recognized industry-wide.
  
  
• To become a skilled carpenter the course curriculum must include up-to-date building codes. The course must offer the students with right instructions on plans for the building that actually have been built and not just theory or written information about building plans.
  
  
• One of the important characteristics of a good carpenter is having math skills. If you want to better hone your math skills, find a school that has building and engineering theory in its curriculum. Good math skills give you the best chance to advance your career as a foreman, supervisor, or project manager or become an independent contractor.
  
  
• Find a school with an up-to-date training facility and an experienced instructor. To avoid making mistakes, make sure you personally visit the school premises to see it is modern and check with the school about the background of their instructor.
  
  
• Choose a carpentry training school that offers flexible payment terms or provides financial aid to its students. Education is getting costly nowadays. Sometimes, if you don’t have the money to pay for the tuition, what would be the solution? This is where payment terms and financial aid come in. So make sure that the school you’re preferring to enroll in has this option.

Do Carpenters Need to Be Licensed in this State

One of the routes you can take being a carpenter is to establish your own contracting business. But before you do your business, the state of Alaska requires contractors to have a license before they begin working on projects.

To get a contractor’s license, here are the steps:

1. Determine what contractor work you will be involved in; you most likely fall into one of these categories: a general contractor or a specialty contractor.  

• A specialty contractor license is required if your project requires the use of more than three (3) trades.

2. Accomplish the registration of the application
 

• If you will be applying for a general contractor license, you can download the application here.
• If you aimed to apply for a specialty contractor license, download the application form here. 
  
  

3. Make sure you have a contractor license bond – the bond amount is depending on what contractor you are, please refer to the table below:

4. Show proof of liability insurance – please refer to the table below for the coverage

5. Show proof of workers’ compensation insurance – only those insurance provided by a private carrier authorized by Alaska Division or Insurance can be accepted.

6. After you’ve completed the above requirements, pay the application fees. As of this writing, the fees are as follows:

7. After you’ve completed all the requirements above, submit those together with the completed application form to Contractor Licensing Section, State Office Building, 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor, PO Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806

• Please take note that the application for the business license is different from the application of a contractor license. If your business has no license yet, you may refer to this page for more information.

Salary of Journeyman Carpenters in Alaska

After you’ve finished your apprenticeship program, you are now branded as a journeyman. The journeymen have a ch higher salary than an apprentice.

If you’re wondering how much can you make as a journeyman carpenter in Alaska, well according to the latest July 25, 2023 report of Salary.com, you could earn as much as $67,347 on average per year. But depending on some factors such as experience, specialization, and work assignment, the salary ranges between $58,199 and $77,982. 

Governing Authorities

• Alaska of Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
  550 W 7th AVE, STE 1535, Anchorage, AK 99501-3587, Phone: (907) 269-8100
  333 Willoughby AVE, 9th FL, State Office Building, Juneau, AK 99801, Phone: (907) 465-2500
  
  
• Department of Labor & Workforce Development
  Employment and Training Services
  P.O. Box 115509, Juneau, AK 99811-5509
  Phone: (907) 465-2712; Fax: (907) 465-4537