The Brooklyn Navy Yard is set to host its third annual Union & Apprenticeship Fair on April 16. The event is the Navy Yard’s attempt to give New Yorkers access to stable, well-paying, skilled-trades and industrial-union careers.
The Union & Apprenticeship Fair is a chance for those attending to connect with union recruiters from the city’s leading industries. It offers access to training, apprenticeships, and jobs in a city known for its labor history. The Brooklyn Navy Yard wants to tap into that labor lore and have its fair known as a route to union employment opportunities.
When it initially launched, the Union & Apprenticeship Fair was in response to community calls for access to real jobs. It has since grown, welcoming hundreds of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students and community members each year. Last year, nearly 100 CTE students and about 200 residents participated. And organizers expect an even higher turnout this year.
Nikki Evans, senior vice president for workforce development and education at the Navy Yard, has directed the fair for the past two years. Under her lead, the event has broadened its focus, welcoming not only traditional trade unions but also public utility and pre-apprenticeship programs.
“We wanted to create a space where unions could present what they have uninterrupted,” Evans explained, emphasizing the importance of equitable access; she notes that job seekers, especially people of color and women, face many challenges. “This is something that its time has come, and we’ve just been lucky to get a running start at it.”
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation photos
“It’s critical that we build equitable pathways for our community members to access those jobs,” said Lindsay Greene, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. “The Union & Apprenticeship Fair is a great opportunity for job seekers to build their understanding of what careers in skilled trades look like today: higher tech, but still highly accessible, and also cool!” Both Evans and Greene emphasize the importance of the one-on-one connections that can be made at the fair and the fact that it is designed to foster relationships, instead of merely one-off encounters.
Participants this year can expect to connect with more than 20 union organizations like Pathways 2 Apprenticeship, National Grid, Non-Traditional Employment for Women, District Council 9 NY – IUPAT Painters & Allied Trades, DC 19 Cement & Concrete Workers, National Association of Power Engineers, Construction Skills, and others. Attendees are encouraged to bring resumes, prepare for networking, and sign up for union mailing lists to stay informed about future openings. Pre-apprenticeship programs will also be present to help job seekers build foundational skills and prepare for union entry exams.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard’s fair is from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the ninth floor of Building 303. A panel discussion titled “Navigating Union Careers” begins at 4:30 p.m. The event is intentionally structured to be inclusive, offering morning sessions for CTE students from several local schools and afternoon programming for the broader community.
Evans encourages job seekers to take advantage of the fair’s pre-apprenticeship offerings: “These programs help folks get ready to take the tests and everything that goes into joining a union. Connect while you’re here, get your skills up, and prepare for the next step.”
Establishing connections with labor unions will also be crucial for the job seekers who show up. Unions provide stable wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement in traditional trades like electrical work, plumbing, and construction, as well as in emerging areas such as climate technology and sustainability infrastructure. Starting wages in machining, for instance, range from $24 to $25 an hour and rise with experience. Evans notes, “There’s a really interesting intersection between climate tech and unions. Apprentices are coming in to learn the technology, and existing union members are making decisions about upskilling into new fields.”
With the city’s labor industry shifting toward high-tech and sustainable industries. Evans said she wants the Union & Apprenticeship Fair to become an event known for its commitment to workforce equity, community engagement, and economic opportunity. “The conversations around unions, especially in low-income and communities of color, are needed. The Navy Yard offers a wonderful starting point to push that conversation forward and help both unions and the local community see the benefits in each other.”
People interested in attending the Union & Apprenticeship Faircan register online or visit https://tinyurl.com/mrxp6y5a.