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The INDEPENDENT, September 19, 2012
BOLI continues series highlighting Oregon apprentice programs
The Oregon Bureau of La-
bor and Industries (BOLI),
home of the state’s Apprentice-
ship and Training Division, is
continuing its special series of
spotlight articles on registered
apprentices – workers earning
living wages while learning the
skills for a career in their cho-
sen trade. The Apprenticeship
and Training Division monitors
all registered apprenticeship
programs in the state to ensure
maintenance of standards and
to promote participation by
women and people of color.
Apprentice Spotlight: AJ
Banuelos – Despite coming
from a big family of union
tradespeople, Anjanet “AJ”
Banuelos never thought seri-
ously about apprenticeship. Or
at least not until she was look-
ing for work, drawing public as-
sistance and trying to take care
of three kids. Pre-apprentice-
ship training through Con-
structing Hope seemed like an
option, but chance landed her
in Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc’s
pre-apprenticeship program.
AJ hasn’t looked back. Now
less than 500 hours away from
fourth term as a laborer ap-
prentice, she seems far away
from the clerical work that she
thinks high school prepared her
for. With not only the skills but
the social network that OTI
helped her to build, AJ feels
like she’s on solid footing – and
wants to offer the same confi-
dence and opportunity to suc-
ceed to others.
“I volunteer a lot with OTI, let
them use my story, anything I
can do,” AJ says with a smile.
“And the supportive services,
like childcare – I’m always
telling other apprentices, do
you know this help is out
there?”
Noting that finding childcare
when your days aren’t 8 to 5,
Monday through Friday, espe-
cially when you’re on a job out
of town and need a provider
who can accommodate that, AJ
emphasized, “Childcare is a
huge issue.” She likes the
BOLI-ODOT workforce partner-
ship’s support for childcare ex-
penses, per diems and other
efforts to keep Oregon appren-
tices in their programs and on
the job – she just wishes even
more help was available.
AJ is far from complaining
about apprenticeship in Ore-
gon, though. Asked what else
she might be doing today, she
laughingly said, “I don’t even
know.” After a moment more of
thought she says with charac-
teristic honesty, “I don’t even
want to think about that.”
Downplaying her own hard
work to get where she is, AJ is
quick to express thanks to OTI
especially: she recalls their
pre-apprenticeship program
making her interested in every
trade except roofing, when she
came in leaning strongly to-
wards becoming an electrician.
The experience was so positive
that AJ, something of a good-
will ambassador for OTI, sent
her daughter to a Building Girls
Construction Camp earlier this
year – and reports that the
“girly girl” was really excited
about all that she learned.
OTI’s supportive environ-
ment and strong foundation not
only helped AJ start on the right
path, but also provide great ex-
amples for her suggestions for
helping to keep other appren-
tices on the path to success:
mentoring and networking
among apprentices to share in-
formation and foster other mu-
tual supports. AJ sees tips on
simple things like helping to un-
derstand difficult bosses as a
great gift from older appren-
tices to younger ones, and just
between starting apprentices
opportunities to carpool or sug-
gestions on good childcare
providers can be invaluable.
AJ’s perspective on Oregon
apprenticeship came with no
pulled punches and no white-
wash, but plenty of optimism.
She’s ready to be on the front
lines working to make appren-
ticeship even more accessible
and more supportive of future
apprentices. That level of ener-
gy and commitment should
come as no surprise, though,
from a woman who spent three
months travelling from her
Troutdale home to work on the
west side of the Willamette Riv-
er required riding the bus, MAX
train and street car – all three,
both directions, every day for
three months.
Visit www.oregon.gov/BOLI
for more information about all
of BOLI’s work to the workforce
and a stronger economy.
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., 410 North Street
Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street
American Legion Post #119
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue
Booster Club
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Boy Scout Troop 201
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin
Boy Scout Troop 860
Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., LDS Church
Cemetery Beautification Comm.
2nd Thursday
6:30 p.m., Library
Chamber of Commerce
2nd Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-6081
Community Coalition
2nd Monday
12:30 p.m. School District Ofc.
Cub Scout Pack 201
Scout Cabin
For Info Call 503-429-4250
Emerg. Preparedness Comm.
4th Wednesday
6:30 p.m., WOEC
Friends of the Library
1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library
Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2
For Info Call 503-819-0143
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Kiwanis Club
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Municipal Airport Committee
1t Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Pioneer Museum
For Info Call 503-429-3713
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-0869 7:00 p.m.,Vernonia Grange
Public Works Committee
4th Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Cares Directors
For Info call 503-429-1414
Vernonia City Council
1st & 3rd Mondays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Comm. Learning Center 1st Wednesday
5:00 p.m., VCLC
Vernonia Community PTA
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Vernonia Garden Club
2nd Tuesday
1:30 p.m., Vernonia Library
Vernonia Grange
3rd Monday
7:00 p.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
3rd Thursday
6:30 p.m., 510 Bridge St.
Vernonia Library Board
1st Wednesday
9:00 a.m., Sept-June, Library
Vernonia Parks Committee
3rd Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Planning Comm.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
6:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia School Board
2nd Thursday
6:00 p.m., District Office
Vernonia Sr. Center Board
2nd Friday
10:00 a.m., Senior Center
Vernonia Transfer Station
2nd & 4th Saturdays
8 a.m.-2 p.m.,Behind VHS
Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
WOEC Directors
3rd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., WOEC
MIST-BIRKENFELD
M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg.
3rd Tuesday
M-B Ambulance Drill
1st & 2nd Thursdays
M-B Fire Drill
1st & 2nd Wednesdays
M-B Helping Circle
2nd Monday
M-B SAR Drill
3rd Wednesday
M-B Volunteer Assoc.
1st Tuesday
Natal Grange
2nd Wednesday
T.O.P.S.
Mondays
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Legion Post #90
Banks City Council
Banks Fire District #13
Banks Library Commission
Banks Planning Commission
Banks School Board
Banks Youth Group
Chamber of Commerce
CPO 14
Everybody’s Hometown Band
Friends of the Library
Lions Club
Sunset Park Assoc.
T.O.P.S.
Friday
Wednesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Wednesday
3rd Tuesday
Last Tuesday
2nd Monday
Sunday, Wednesday
1st Thursday
3rd Monday
Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday
1st & 3rd Mondays
3rd Wednesday
Wednesday
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall
9:00 a.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:00 p.m., Main Street Post
7:30 p.m., City Hall
7:00 p.m., Station 13
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., City Hall
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., BHS Music Room
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday
10:00 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia 9-1-1 Board
3rd Thursday
9:00 a.m., 9-1-1 meeting room
Columbia Comm Mental Health
1st Tuesday
5”30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way
Columbia Soil & Water District
3rd Wednesday
7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes
County Fair Board
2nd Monday
6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg.
County Parks Commission
2nd Thursday
4:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St.
Comm. on Children & Families
3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30
Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.