Immerse. Learn. Lead.

The Building Trades Leadership Academy (BTLA) is a partnership among Labor Education and Research Now (LEARN) at Rutgers University, New Jersey's Building and Construction Trades Council (NJ B&CTC), and New Jersey Pathways Leading Apprentices to a College Education (NJ PLACE). The BTLA offers an outstanding and rigorous immersion program where emerging union leaders engage in "deep learning" on important subjects geared toward the building trades and the construction industry. The courses will be taught by Rutgers University faculty, incorporating real world experience from high level leaders and professionals in the building trades.

Upon completion of the program, students will acquire skills and knowledge necessary to advance themselves in union leadership positions. Students also have an opportunity to earn college credits to advance their personal careers. 

The Building Trades Leadership Academy will:

• Develop a new generation of union leaders with skills and advanced knowledge
• Cultivate rank and file member activists
• Build more effective trade unions
• Offer Rutgers University's Certificate of Achievement
• Provide the opportunity of earning college credits through Rutgers University or NJ PLACE.  Each designated group of two courses is equivalent to three college credit hours with applicable tuitions and fees

Courses (Download Course Schedule and Brochure Here)

• (A) Building Trades Labor History (Register Here)
• (A) Labor and Politics in the Building Trades (Register Here)
• (B) Labor and Employment Law in the Construction Industry (Register Here)
• (B) Collective Bargaining in the Building Trades (Register Here)
• (C) Leadership and Communication (Register Here)
• (C) Organizing and Union Building (Register Here)
• (D) Contemporary Labor Issues I (Register Here)
• (D) Contemporary Labor Issues II (Register Here)

Graduation

Completion of six courses is required for graduation. Attendance of all seven classes is required for completion of a course.

Course Fee

$150.00/per course
Courses are designated in groups (A, B, C, and D). Registration for a group of two courses is required.

Location

Registration

For online registration, we accept credit cards (Visa or MasterCard) and e-checks.  If you cannot use this form of payment, please call 848-932-9504.

More Information