sources: Associated Builders and Contractors, Forbes, CNBC
What are we doing about it?
Building up the next generation of trades professionals.
About the Program
The Workmanship Program provides students a free introductory trades education taught by industry professionals. Located in at The Great Falls Center in Paterson, NJ, we offer students hands-on experience and exposure to careers in each of the key trades: general construction, masonry, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, welding, and fine woodworking. We come alongside individuals pursuing a trades career equip ping them with all they need to take the next steps.
Apply TodayClass Objectives
Exposure: Educating students on the labor, demands, and career potential of each trade
Tools & Skills: Equipping students with the tools and skills needed to pursue an apprenticeship
Experience: Providing students with diverse hands-on work experience in each trade
Mentorship: Mentoring students as they decide which career they’d like to pursue
Meet Our Teaching TeamWhat sets us apart?
Instructors: Classes are taught by trades professionals who bring a wealth of onsite work experience, many of which work a full day in the field before showing up to teach class.
1:2 Ratio: Our teaching team consists of volunteers who are there to pass their trade onto the next generation. Our volunteer base enables us to maintain a 1 to 2 teacher/student ratio that provides students a personalized learning experience.
Core Values: Competency isn’t the only thing we’re teaching our students. We’re equipping our students to be the quality workers we know they can be by reinforcing core values: Honesty, Trust, Timeliness, Craftsmanship, Teachability, Respect, and Integrity
Volunteer TodayLearn more about our courses.
The Workmanship Program currently includes four distinct course offerings. Learn more about each by clicking the button below.
Our Courses
"My experience in the Workmanship Program so far has been exciting. I love the framing portion of the course the most. There are so many details and I enjoy slowly building up."
Adam Barrios
CPM, Fall '21 Graduate
"It is rewarding to now be in Fine Woodworking building the door for the sheds and being able to look back and say, I did that!"
James Ona
CPM, Spring ‘22 Graduate, Fine Woodworking, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"I am grateful because this program is taking me out of the things that I used to be involved in. There's not enough money in the world that would make me rather be in that place than being right here. I hope that this changes things for me."
Dana Littlejohn
CPM, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"I absolutely love teaching my trade... There’s fewer and fewer kids going into the trades, and anything I can do to promote my trade and bring men and women up through the trades... I’ll do anything I can to do that.”
Larry Dykhouse Jr.
Instructor & Carpenter |President & Contractor, Dykhouse Construction Company
"I enjoy meeting new people from all over. It’s so cool to come together and become friends and accomplish new levels of the project each week."
Charon Manning
CPM, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"I love the lab portion of class. Everything we learned in the lecture we then apply it when building the sheds. My advice for new students would be to stick with it. The program is a lot of fun and it’s worth it."
Daniel Trapani
CPM, Fall '21 Graduate
“The Workmanship Program has given me the opportunity to find and cultivate a passion for the trades, and I look forward to turning that passion into a career.”
Jonathan Peña
CPM, Fall '19 Graduate
"I want to be an electrician. This Workmanship Program gives me general knowledge of electrical and helps me to gain more understanding about the other trades and the relationships between them."
Steven Gonzales
CPM, Fall '21 Graduate
“The Workmanship Program has helped me acquire a job as a tradesman. By networking with the skilled instructors, I was able to showcase my potential and earn an apprenticeship."
Benjamin Rutt
CPM, Fall '19 Graduate
"The Lord has blessed me with the skills to master my trade, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to be an instructor. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in various forms.”
Matthew Gramazio
Union Electrician
"I’ve always liked working with my hands. My dad died when I was young. He was a real handy-man and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps."
Jonathan Calabrese
Fine Woodworking, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"My advice for new students would be, stay open. Don’t be afraid to try new things and ask questions. At first, I was hesitant to ask questions but that is when I have learned the most."
Joshua Neidhardt
CPM, Fall '21 Graduate
"The Workmanship program taught me all the phases of how to put up a shed, even things as simple as how to properly use a measuring tape."
Alesandel Rivera
CPM, Fall '21 Graduate
“My favorite thing about the Workmanship Program is the hands-on learning aspect. We get to practice everything we are learning in class.”
Marsha Lindsay
CPM, Fall '21 Graduate
"I love my trade of carpentry and I want to pass that passion on to the next generation. I am in the process of transitioning my life’s focus from success to significance which is found in teaching others my trade so they can work with excellence."
David Justnes
Instructor & General Construction
"I respect all of the instructors, they know their stuff. All of them are great teachers. This course teaches how to take these skills we learned and bring them into real life application."
Brittney Reed
CPM, Fall ‘22 Graduate, Fine Woodworking, Spring '23 Graduate
"I really appreciate the fact that the instructors are all really good and genuinely passionate about their trade. They are all so patient and dedicated in re-teaching me something I may have learned before, even 4 to 6 times over again."
Andres Taveras
Fall 2021 Student
"I helped write the curriculum for the course and assisted John with getting all of the tools, supplies and support he needed in order to make this program happen. My company, Richards Industries, will continue to provide instructors for this course for as long as it is needed."
Ben Osborne
Welding Instructor | Director of Operations, Richards Industries
"I was always interested in construction and I heard of the opportunity through NJCDC. Now I come out every Saturday to volunteer so I can put the skills I learned from class into serving others."
Uriel Rangel
CPM, Spring ‘22 Graduate, Fine Woodworking, Fall ‘22 Graduate, Welding, Spring '23 Graduate
"I like the community here, speaking to everyone and working together. I look forward to seeing everyone each week. My advice to future students would be to take full advantage of the opportunity. Take your time and try to pace yourself."
Titus Arnett
CPM, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"The main thing that impacted me is that I was able to meet new people like Larry. I have learned a lot through him. He’s a good person with a pure heart and he loves what he does; it shows at school and at work."
Samuel Fabian
CPM, Spring ‘22 Graduate, Apprentice, Dykhouse Construction Co.
"Last semester we (Richards Industries) hired one of the students, and this semester we have hired another. My hope is that we can fill the course with local students and get them jobs in the local area to make Paterson a better place to work and live."
Ben Osborne
Welding Instructor | Director of Operations, Richards Industries
"My advice for a new student would be to take advantage of this program as much as possible. I appreciate all of the instructors because they are coming in to donate their time after a long day of work to share their expertise with us."
Stanley Rodriguez
CPM, Spring ‘22 Graduate, Fine Woodworking, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"My advice for new students is to not be shy and go for it. I was scared and didn’t come to the first semester I applied for. I told myself I needed to come this time around. Now I love it, I made friends that feel like family and I don’t regret it at all."
Valerie Velasquez
CPM, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"Valerie is a thankful person. I saw her conquer her fear, at the beginning of the program: she was scared to go on a ladder. Towards the end she helped me complete the roof on the shed, climbing the ladder like a boss. She’s one of those people you are glad to have met in your life."
Francisco Mateo
CPM Instructor, General Construction
"I am a retired middle school teacher, but I am so impressed with this program and if I was a younger man starting a new career I would want to go into the trades."
Robert Reilly
CPM, Spring ‘22 Graduate, Fine Woodworking, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"My favorite part is the jobsite part of class. I like that they show us what to do and then we actually do it. Anyone can tell you how to do something but it’s another thing to learn hands-on how to do it. We are constantly moving forward and excelling."
Chris Diaz
CPM, Fall ‘22 Graduate, Fine Woodworking, Spring '23 Graduate
"Every instructor was amazing and I learned so much through each of them. They were all so good at teaching their trade. I am encouraging many of my friends to come to the class because you learn so many useful skills."
Hugo Ortiz
CPM, Spring ‘22 Graduate, Fine Woodworking, Fall ‘22 Graduate
"It’s an honor to participate in such a meaningful program that is helping rebrand a career in the trades in a positive and lucrative manner which has the power of influencing generations to come."
Matt Wolfe
CPM Instructor, Architecture
"I watched Kanisha from when she came in not knowing how to read a tape measure or hammer toe nails, and now she’s putting up siding. It’s why I like doing what I do; you watch something build from the ground up."
Danny Haboob
Instructor, Carpentry
“I had an amazing teacher in this industry. Without him, I would not be where I am now. Just paying it forward.”
Ben Osborne
Welding Instructor | Director of Operations, Richards Industries