No need to choose: Rowan University partners with trade unions to enhance career opportunities

Brianne Lorenzo, a fifth-year electrical apprentice, spends her days laying out lighting, supports and wiring for a professional building under construction. At night, she balances the demands of parenting with the requirements of her online course, moving her closer to a certificate in project management from Rowan University.

“In our field, everyone is on the same page when you start out,” the Vernon resident said. “If you can find things to do to stand out, you make yourself more employable.”  

Lorenzo is one of thousands of union members nationwide who can apply their apprenticeship training toward a bachelor’s degree through Rowan's innovative partnerships with numerous trade unions. The agreements allow eligible union members to apply credits earned through their apprenticeship training toward Rowan’s construction management programs offered through Rowan Online, the University's web-based education portal.

Built for flexibility, Rowan Online works with industry partners to design educational offerings that suit the needs of working students, wherever they live.   

A key partnership is with North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), which represents 15 national labor organizations across the United States and Canada. This collaboration has led to the establishment of NABTU’s Building Trades Academy at Rowan University. 

Options offered through the academy include three undergraduate construction certificates, two graduate certificates in engineering management, a Bachelor of Arts in construction management, and a Master of Engineering Management. 

Undergraduate certificates in construction management, project management and construction leadership cover more in-depth industry knowledge, including cost accounting and estimating, project management, planning and scheduling, building codes and leadership skills. 

These programs are designed to be stackable, allowing students to apply credits earned from one certificate toward higher-level programs.

Such partnerships align with Rowan University’s mission to increase access to affordable higher education and boost the economic impact of a well-educated workforce, noted Provost Tony Lowman.  

“We are eliminating the notion of having to choose – university or union. You can have both,” Lowman said. 

Originally founded by the AFL-CIO at the National Labor College, the Building Trades Academy serves the professional development needs of organized labor. The college closed in 2014, the same year Rowan launched its bachelor’s program in construction management in partnership with NABTU. 

NABTU President Sean McGarvey underscored the importance of professional development for workers. 

“This exciting partnership between Rowan University and NABTU will continue expanding career opportunities for hardworking unionized building trades members,” McGarvey said. “By providing access to professional development courses and education credits, we’ll keep empowering construction professionals to strengthen their skills, advance their careers, and achieve their academic goals—all while ensuring affordability and accessibility. The sky’s the limit for those who seize this opportunity, and we look forward to hearing the success stories that will emerge from the accelerated pathways created by the Building Trades Academy and this partnership.”

Rowan's commitment to professional development has attracted numerous trade unions, including IBEW Local 102, IBEW Local 98, Steamfitters Local Union 420, and Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers.

“Our certificates and degree in construction management add even more value to our partners’ already rigorous apprenticeship training programs,” said Lorraine Ricchezza, associate provost for academic strategic initiatives at Rowan University. “Graduates will find this to be advantageous throughout their careers.”

Antonia Seakan, a Local 102 apprentice, graduated from Rowan’s construction management program in May 2020. She quickly advanced to foreman and later became an instructor for her union’s apprenticeship program.

The degree “really helped elevate my performance with managing my team, scheduling projects and with safety,” Seakan said. “I just had that extra knowledge.”

Steamfitter Local Union 420 member Ed Keenan is among the first of his union’s members to take advantage of the program and is currently enrolled in classes. 

“This agreement ensures members like me receive the highest quality training available, and an enhanced education that will help me thrive in an ever-changing landscape,” Keenan said. “This culture of education and training is what makes me so proud to call myself a steamfitter, and why so many companies call on steamfitters to get the job done.”

A similar partnership with IUPAT District Council 21 allows members to earn both graduate and undergraduate degrees on a flexible schedule. This collaboration combines the world-class training provided by the Finishing Trades Institute of the Mid-Atlantic Region with Rowan’s flexible online course delivery. 

“We’re proud to offer our community the opportunity to learn a skilled trade and build good union careers with great benefits,” said Bernie Snyder, business manager/secretary-treasurer of IUPAT District Council 21. “We want to stay ahead of the curve and bring our members even more opportunities to excel in their field. This partnership will give people who may not otherwise have access to higher education the opportunity to earn a degree on a flexible schedule and at a more affordable rate.”