With the locals.
Not around them.
Ironside is designed to feed qualified, pre-trained candidates into IBEW, UA, sheet-metal, laborers, and other building-trades apprenticeships — not to compete with them. Scope, wage, and jurisdiction are respected at every step.
Our commitment to the building trades.
Pre-apprenticeship, not replacement.
Ironside pathways feed into DOL-registered apprenticeships operated by existing locals.
Prevailing wage respected.
On union projects, Ironside-credentialed workers are placed at prevailing wage under the local’s jurisdiction.
Dual-track is neutral.
Graduates choose union or open-shop. We do not steer, and we do not replace either path.
Governance seat.
NABTU and affiliated trades are invited to the advisory council from day one.
Shared curriculum standards.
Our curriculum aligns with NCCER, ETA, and local apprenticeship standards — not a parallel system.
Transparent data.
Placement outcomes, retention, and wage data shared openly with partner locals.
What we ask of partner locals.
Direct-entry slots.
A share of apprenticeship intake reserved for Ironside-credentialed graduates who meet local standards.
Advisory participation.
Seats on the technical working groups shaping curriculum for each trade.
Co-location.
Where possible, Ironside hubs operate near union halls and training centers.