Buy This Shirt On Giving Tuesday To Help Build Careers In Trades

CHICAGO — Buying a T-shirt on Giving Tuesday could help someone build a career in construction, and create sustainable access to local contractors with tools and know-how to preserve historically accurate porches, doors and windows in the Pullman National Monument.

At least that's the hope of my neighbor, Nick Lubovich, the visionary behind a new job-training program called Pullman Tech Workshop.

Late railroad mogul George Pullman's will bequeathed $1.2 million to build Pullman Technical High School offering residents in his factory town free classes in manual training, a precursor to modern-day vocational schools. In 1915, 100 students enrolled for the school's inaugural year.

The building remains in its latest incarnation as Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep. But the mission of training far South Side folks to work as skilled trade workers has nearly vanished from schools.

Only two Chicago public high schools, for instance, offer construction classes.

Lubovich said he aims to revive the spirit of Pullman Tech for locals interesting in careers working in the trades who otherwise might not have the cash for training — or connections to Chicago labor unions — to score jobs that pay middle-class wages.

The idea also was born out of local necessity. When you own a house in a historic neighborhood such as Pullman, fixing up the front of your house to meet preservation-minded building codes can be a hassle, and expensive.

"We can't go a Menards or Home Depot to purchase a new front door or windows. We can't build just any kind of porch. These things need to be historically accurate. That's what protects the neighborhood," Lubovich said.

"There's all this money being spent on doors and windows that are made out of state. So, the idea is to create an opportunity to create those things that are needed right here in Pullman. Rather than just create a workforce development program that helps people on the South Side, Pullman Tech will also help rebuild the neighborhood."

Pullman Tech's launch gets a jump start by partnering with Revolution Workshop, a West Side pre-apprenticeship program that for three years has provided unemployed and underemployed people free training in construction to push them closer to careers in carpentry.

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Revolution Workshop executive director Manny Rodriguez says the collaboration with Pullman Tech adds a layer of historic preservation and community involvement to 12-week training programs that culminate with trainee job placements.

"With Pullman Tech, we'll be talking a lot about why it's important to preserve a community like Pullman. That's an angle we were not doing in Garfield Park. That brings a different feel to the program. At our location in Garfield Park … we serve people all over the city," he said.

"This one is going to be more tied to the community. The trainees will be working to help fix some porches in the area that have to be done in a certain way. It's the perfect project for people who are learning construction."

Pullman Tech already has the backing of our neighborhood's long-time craftsman, Ralph Larson, who for nearly 50 years has been one of a handful of woodworkers with the know-how and tools to recreate Pullman-style mill work.

The 80-year-old has been a go-to guy recreating historically accurate interior trim and porch rebuilds. He even helped restore the once-crumbling veranda on the Historic Florence Hotel. Larson said he plans to donate some of his tools and teach his woodworking techniques to Pullman Tech as a way to continue his service to neighborhood preservation.

"I'm really beyond where I have the strength to do the work anymore," Larson said. "I figure I'll donate a number of my tools, show 'em how to use them to build Pullman porches and whatever. Anything that will teach people how to do some work is a good idea."

In addition to hands-on carpentry training, the first 12-week workshop in Pullman set to begin May 1 will include classes in construction math, financial literacy and historic preservation, Pullman Tech board president Megan Lydon said.

"It's really about helping people that may be out of employment or under employed for whatever reason and setting them up for success," she said. "And it comes with real job experience for them, and we'll be fixing up the neighborhood and helping people in that way, as well."

It all starts with Pullman Tech's first fundraising pitch: Buy a shirt. Build careers.