During May and June 2008, fifty-nine CSEA-represented New York State employees statewide completed the 2006-2008 NYS & CSEA Applied Skilled Trades Program (ASTP). The two-year training and development program provided employees with classroom-related instruction that meets the relevant course work component of the minimum qualifications for appointment to the following non-competitive SG-12 journey-level positions:

• Carpenter
• Electrician
• Mason and Plasterer
• Plumber and Steamfitter
• Refrigeration Mechanic

The ASTP was created to provide agencies with the means to develop a more highly-skilled workforce and a larger pool of qualified candidates for future journey-level vacancies. The initiative has two areas of opportunity for participants: a traineeship and a certificate program.

The two-year traineeship includes both the required course work and 4,000 hours of on-the-job training (OJT) necessary for advancement to one of the SG-12 non-competitive journey-level trades' titles listed above. The OJT is provided by the agency.

The two-year certificate program provides employees with an opportunity to meet the course work required for advancement to one of the journey-level positions above. The certificate program does not provide OJT. Employees who finish the certificate program must still complete 4,000 hours of OJT in order to qualify for appointment to a journey-level trades' position.

The course work requirements of the ASTP are identical for both the traineeship and the certificate program.

All participants in the ASTP (traineeship or certificate program) were required to complete three core courses:

• Technical Math (44 hrs.)
• Blueprint Reading Fundamentals (12 hrs.)
• Workplace Communications (42 hrs.)

Upon successful completion of the three core courses, participants completed four trade-specific courses totaling 72 hours each.

Five skilled trades’ certificate programs were held in the following four geographic areas:

• Capital District (Albany) – Electrician; Mason and Plasterer
• North Country (Canton) – Electrician
• Central New York (Oswego) – Electrician
• Western New York (Buffalo) – Plumber and Steamfitter

The following agencies participated in the 2006–2008 ASTP: DEC, DOCS, OGS, OMRDD, OPRHP, and SUNY.

For more information about the ASTP, call: (518) 473-0055 or (800) 253-4332; fax: (518) 473-9457; or e-mail: learning@nyscseapartnership.org.