Each spring, the Woodlawn Bridges to Crafts Careers Preservation Training Program selects 20 interns to receive specialized hands-on training in masonry and restoration under the guidance of a resident craftsman.
The program includes a 10-week paid career training and job placement workforce development program which focuses exclusively on the restoration and preservation of stone typically found in historic cemeteries. Additionally, program graduates will earn an OSHA-30 Safety certification, Suspended and Support Scaffolding certifications, Jahn Mortar certification, and support applying to entry-level positions in the industry.
The program is run in partnership with The Door – Bronx Youth Center, The Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy, the International World Monuments Fund, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (Local No. 1 New York) and supported by NYC DYCD Advance & Earn.
Eligibility requirements: New Yorkers ages 18-24 in February 2022; resident of the five boroughs of New York City; have a high school diploma or GED/equivalency diploma and authorized to work in the United States.
Application deadline is Friday, Jan. 28, 2022 at 12 p.m. Program begins Feb. 7 through May 2022. To learn more about the program and view the application, visit www.WoodlawnPreservation.org.
In 2015, the Woodlawn Conservancy, in partnership with the International Masonry Institute of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsworkers Local 1 Union, established the Preservation Training Program, an initiative sponsored by World Monuments Fund, called the Bridge to Crafts Careers. The goal of the program is to introduce young people to opportunities in the field of masonry preservation and to provide the support they need to sustain jobs and improve their skills enabling them to restore the buildings of New York City. So far, 125 young adults participated in the program.
This unique program is immersive training that also provides specialized life skills as well as OSHA certifications. The social services component is contributed by The Door, a youth development agency with wrap-around services, who is involved in the recruitment and weekly training, along with helping the interns with interview techniques, resume writing and communication skills with their employers. Graduates are making a positive economic impact by acquiring a sustainable career. The monuments and mausoleum at Woodlawn are the training lab where they learn their skills under the close supervision of a retired masonry resident craftsman.
