The OPCMIA used the Bellwood-based Cement Mason’s Local 502 Apprenticeship Training Center for filming purposes, calling the Center, “the nicest in the country.” Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
By Jennifer Rice
Managing Editor
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Email Jennifer Rice at: jen@foxvalley
labornews.com
BELLWOOD — Any Labor Organization that’s worked a trade show or career fair understands the difficulties of grabbing someone’s attention as they walk by your booth. More difficult is engaging a younger audience.
Static booth graphics, in-your-face signage and cheesy giveaways will get the foot traffic to your booth – but the use of digital media will keep them there.
As we see communication habits rely more and more on technology, using video is a popular and eye-catching tool to engage audiences.
The Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) recently chose the Cement Mason’s Local 502 Apprenticeship Training Center to film footage for three days on the variety of training taught at the school, which later will be edited together to films that can be used to accent trade show booths. They choose The Kelly Companies (OPCMIA) to shoot and produce the videos.
“They’ve got a great program here. It’s a relatively new facility and we want to showcase the investment the International makes in training, in addition to the investment the Locals make in training our future workforce,” said OPCMIA Director of Training, Health and Safety Deven Johnson.
Maryland-based The Kelly Companies Videographer Andy More, left, and Director of Media Production John Ringstad, center, discuss with Cement Mason’s Local 502 training staff the direction of the next shot. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
The International has done various filming across the country, especially in Las Vegas, to highlight their Plasterers training program, but Local 502’s training center was a one-stop-shop to get all the filming needed.
“Before we started filming, I told the students they were chosen, No. 1 — because they do a great job and No. 2 — an investment was made in this area for training,” Johnson explained.
OPCMIA’s Director of Training, Health and safety Deven Johnson jumps in and instructs an apprentice the correct way to keep his trowel flat. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
In fall 2017, the 20,000-square foot facility opened — adjacent to the Cement Mason’s Union Hall. Local 502’s Financial Secretary Larry Picardi Sr. now thinks of the property as a campus.
The apprentices use the Training Center to learn pouring, finishing and removing concrete. They also work on floors, curbs, stairs and other aspects of the trade.
Bellwood-based Plasterers and Cement Mason’s Local 502 Area 5 apprentices work on pouring and finishing a slab inside the Bellwood-based Cement Mason Local 5’s Training Center. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
On the Plasterers side, apprentices are taught the latest techniques — with an emphasis on critical life-safety applications and fire-proofing methods.
OPCMIA Executive Vice President and Director of Organizing Todd Lair calls Local 502’s Training Center, “the nicest center in the country.”
The Kelly Companies Videographer Andy More films apprentices remove a mold. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
“There’s not another center in the country that can pour like this in the winter. This apprenticeship school is set up so they can bring trucks indoors and pour. For the purpose of our videos, this apprenticeship school is a one-stop-shop. We’ll be able to shoot everything we need to film.”
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