{"id":13940,"date":"2025-06-02T09:30:44","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T13:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/news\/?p=13940"},"modified":"2025-05-30T15:44:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T19:44:47","slug":"35-camden-residents-celebrated-at-draft-day-as-they-join-trade-unions-to-help-build-coopers-project-imagine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/news\/2025\/06\/35-camden-residents-celebrated-at-draft-day-as-they-join-trade-unions-to-help-build-coopers-project-imagine\/","title":{"rendered":"35 Camden Residents Celebrated at \u201cDraft Day\u201d as They Join Trade Unions to Help Build Cooper\u2019s \u201cProject Imagine\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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John Vazquez, Esq., Cooper’s Chief Legal Officer, welcomes the Draft Day participants into the Camden\/Cooper Trades Gateway Pre-Apprenticeship Program.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n

(Camden, NJ) \u2014 In an inspiring ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, thirty-five Camden residents were honored during a \u201cDraft Day\u201d celebration marking their acceptance into local building trades unions. Selected through an extensive interview process, these individuals represent the inaugural cohort of the Camden\/Cooper Trades Gateway Pre-Apprenticeship Program \u2014 a transformative workforce development initiative preparing residents for lifelong careers in the skilled trades.<\/p>\n

The 12-week training program, launching in early June, combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience. Upon completion, participants will begin work on the first phase of Project Imagine \u2014 Cooper University Health Care\u2019s multi-year expansion, which broke ground in January.<\/p>\n

Held at Camden County College\u2019s Camden Campus, the event captured the spirit of the NFL Draft. Each participant was called to the stage by trade union, presented with a hard hat representing their union affiliation, and celebrated for their commitment to building a brighter future for the city. Families, union leaders, Cooper representatives, and community officials gathered to show support.<\/p>\n

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One of the participants who was \u201cdrafted\u201d into he Carpenters Union<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThis program isn\u2019t just about job training \u2014 it\u2019s about transforming lives and investing in the future of Camden and its residents,\u201d said George E. Norcross III, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cooper University Health Care, Camden’s largest employer and employer of Camden residents. \u201cThese 35 individuals are the foundation of something truly powerful: a pipeline to stable, well-paying careers for city residents right here in our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Reverend Carl Styles, business manager of LIUNA Local 77 serving Southern New Jersey was pleased to see everyone working together to maximize the community benefits for Camden City residents.\u00a0 \u201cThe City of Camden is experiencing a tremendous boom in economic development and new building construction, and I applaud our elected officials, business, healthcare, and educational leaders, and building trade unions who are partnering to ensure that development projects planned for Camden will be built by men and women living in Camden,\u201d said Styles.<\/p>\n

Camden County College<\/a> continues to play an instrumental role in workforce development and is deeply involved in supporting workers interested in learning an apprenticeship craft.\u00a0 \u201cWe are proud to host the Camden Trades Gateway Draft Day Celebration at our Camden City Campus,\u201d said Dr. Lovell Pugh-Bassett, President of Camden County College. \u201cThe College will be selecting 10 students to participate in our NJ BUILD grant program, this 6-week pre-apprenticeship program, funded through a grant from the NJ Department of Labor, will provide students with an opportunity to pursue an apprenticeship with one of our local building trade unions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the trades participating in Drafty Day 2025 is the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades through its Finishing Trades Institute<\/a>.\u00a0 Training Director James Hyland was effusive in his praise of pre-apprenticeship programs like Progress 360 and NJP2A.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Finishing Trades Institute values pre-apprenticeship programs because they help prepare individuals with foundational skills and knowledge needed for success in the trades,\u201d said Hyland. \u201cThese programs create a pipeline of qualified, motivated workers who are ready to contribute to the industry. Additionally, they strengthen the community by providing career opportunities and supporting local residents in which that community represents.\u201d<\/p>\n

This initiative is the result of a historic partnership between Cooper University Health Care, construction manager Torcon Inc. \/ P. Agnes Inc., Camden County College, and regional trade unions including the Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers, Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, and Iron Workers. Its goal is to create direct pathways to employment while ensuring local residents are central to Camden\u2019s revitalization.<\/p>\n

The Trades Gateway program builds upon Cooper\u2019s deep-rooted commitment to Camden, where the health system employs more than 940 residents and supports additional training efforts like the Cooper Health Careers Initiative. This latest endeavor is a significant step forward in empowering the local workforce and shaping the city\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

Cooper\u2019s Project Imagine is aimed at transforming health care in South Jersey while investing in Camden\u2019s growth and resilience. Key components include:<\/p>\n