Project First Rate

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Project First Rate Project First Rate is a partnership between union contractors and union craftspeople to promote quality craftsmanship with pride, integrity and commitment.

💡 Did you know? Skilled trade workers can earn a family-sustaining wage without a four-year degree. Many enter apprentic...
10/14/2026

💡 Did you know?

Skilled trade workers can earn a family-sustaining wage without a four-year degree. Many enter apprenticeships debt-free and earn a paycheck from day one!

Apprenticeship graduates start out earning around $77,000 a year on average and go on to earn roughly $300,000 more compared to those workers who don't complete one.

Learn more: https://findyourtrade.org/

October is Careers in Construction Month! It's the perfect time to celebrate the skilled tradespeople who plan, build, a...
10/09/2026

October is Careers in Construction Month!

It's the perfect time to celebrate the skilled tradespeople who plan, build, and power Northern Illinois, an industry that supports over 25,000 jobs across the state.

Ready to start your own career in the trades, or know someone who is? Visit: https://findyourtrade.org/

Looking for more than a job? An apprenticeship in the trades gives you hands-on training, a paycheck from day one, and a...
09/30/2026

Looking for more than a job?

An apprenticeship in the trades gives you hands-on training, a paycheck from day one, and a clear path to becoming a skilled union tradesperson, no student debt required.

Project First Rate supports the pathways that build real futures. Find your career today: https://findyourtrade.org/

09/24/2026

"I wish I would've joined earlier." That's what one of our painters had to say, and it's a message worth hearing. Great benefits, real pride in the work, and the satisfaction of stepping back at the end of a project and seeing it done right.

Your career in the trades starts here ➡️ https://findyourtrade.org/

💡 Did you know? The construction industry will need to fill hundreds of thousands of skilled trade jobs in the coming ye...
09/14/2026

💡 Did you know?

The construction industry will need to fill hundreds of thousands of skilled trade jobs in the coming years as experienced workers retire. It's one of the biggest opportunities out there for someone looking for steady, hands-on work.

Project First Rate is happy to invest in the next generation of tradespeople. Find out more at https://findyourtrade.org/.

🛠️ Happy Labor Day! Today we celebrate the tradespeople who build, power, and strengthen Northern Illinois every single ...
09/07/2026

🛠️ Happy Labor Day!

Today we celebrate the tradespeople who build, power, and strengthen Northern Illinois every single day. Project First Rate is proud to stand with the hardworking men and women of the union construction industry, because progress is built by hand, not by chance.

Learn more about Project First Rate: https://www.projectfirstrate.com

Look around your community, chances are a union tradesperson helped build it. From the schools and hospitals we depend o...
09/04/2026

Look around your community, chances are a union tradesperson helped build it. From the schools and hospitals we depend on to the stores, roads, and workplaces we use every day, everything around us is the result of skilled hands and hard work.

Project First Rate is proud to support the men and women in the union construction industry who build the places our communities rely on every single day. They don't just build infrastructure – they build futures.

Learn more about Project First Rate: https://www.projectfirstrate.com

08/28/2026

We asked two students at the Project First Rate Career Expo what they liked about the trades. Their answers say it all.

“Hands-on work” and “A future without college debt” stood out to them.

Learn more about starting a career in the trades: https://findyourtrade.org/

Backpacks aren't the only thing getting packed up this time of year. As students head back to the classroom, apprentices...
08/21/2026

Backpacks aren't the only thing getting packed up this time of year. As students head back to the classroom, apprenticeship programs across the trades are gearing up for their next round of enrollment too.

A skilled trades apprenticeship offers hands-on training, a paycheck from day one, and a clear path to a stable career, no student loans required. Learn more about enrolling in a trades apprenticeship near you: https://findyourtrade.org/

💡 Did you know? Gen Z is reshaping the construction workforce. Younger workers now make up more than 14% of the industry...
08/14/2026

💡 Did you know?

Gen Z is reshaping the construction workforce. Younger workers now make up more than 14% of the industry, which is more than double what it was just a few years ago.

As experienced workers retire, a new generation is stepping up, drawn to careers that offer strong pay, hands-on work, and a clear path forward without the burden of a four-year degree.

Address

111 S Madison Street
Rockford, IL
61104

Telephone

(815) 904-6833

Website

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