By Tasha Mero

KAPOLEI — The Hawaiʻi Carpenters and Drywall Training Fund Center is molding the woodworkers of the future.

The center, located in Kapolei, strives to assist carpenters and drywall apprentices to enter the construction industry and become journeymen.

Through the apprenticeship program, carpenter and drywall workers will hone their skills while practicing a good attitude and work ethic. The training center aims to create apprentices that’ll be reliable, alert, consistent in learning new skills and enthusiastic about their career.

“To become a journeyman, it takes at least 4 to 5 years,” explains executive director Edmund Aczon. “It’s good money–hard work, but it’s good money. Not all kids go to college, or maybe some kids want to go college but not right away. So this is a good option for them.”

The 3-story facility features numerous classrooms, a computer lab, kitchen, student lounge, carpenters’ studio and more. The 25,000-square-foot studio–which includes a wood shop and tool room–is where apprentices receive hands-on training. The wood shop consists of table saws, a plywood panel saw, planer, sander and much more.

Read the full story here, in go Kapolei Magazine.