Thirty-five Camden residents were honored Wednesday during a “Draft Day” 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 — a transformative workforce development initiative preparing residents for lifelong careers in the skilled trades.
The 12-week training program, launching in early June, combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience. After completion, participants will begin work on the first phase of Project Imagine — Cooper University Health Care’s multiyear expansion, which broke ground in January.
The event was held at Camden County College’s Camden Campus and captured the spirit of the NFL Draft. Each participant was called to the stage by a 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.
“This program isn’t just about job training — it’s about transforming lives and investing in the future of Camden and its residents,” said George E. Norcross III, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cooper University Health Care, Camden’s largest employer. “These 35 individuals are the foundation of something truly powerful: a pipeline to stable, well-paying careers for city residents right here in our city.”
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 residents.
“The City of Camden is experiencing a tremendous boom in economic development and new building construction, and I applaud our elected officials, business, health care 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,” said Rev. Styles.
“We are proud to host the Camden Trades Gateway Draft Day Celebration at our Camden City Campus,” said Dr. Lovell Pugh-Bassett, president of Camden County College. “The 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.”
Among the trades that participated are the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades through its Finishing Trades Institute. Training Director James Hyland was effusive in his praise of pre-apprenticeship programs like Progress 360 and NJP2A.
“The Finishing Trades Institute values pre-apprenticeship programs because they help prepare individuals with foundational skills and knowledge needed for success in the trades,” said Hyland. “These 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.”
This initiative is the result of a 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, pipe fitters and iron workers. Its goal is to create direct pathways to employment while ensuring Camden’s residents are central to the city’s revitalization.
The Trades Gateway program builds upon Cooper’s 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’s future.
