City and UA Local 412 Open Trades Station Closet to Support Apprentices and Skilled Trades Workers

Today, Mayor Tim Keller and Local Union 412 celebrated the opening of the new Trades Station Closet near Downtown as a resource for all trades people and apprentices to find necessities, such as work clothing, personal items, and more, that help them get to work.

The Trades Station Closet is located inside the Trades Station, a facility that was repurposed through a partnership between the City and UA Local 412 to create a permanent home for apprenticeship and workforce development programs in the old Remco Bolt building.

"What strong unions build, as much as anything, is community," said Mayor Tim Keller. "Today, the Trades Station is helping connect hardworking people with careers that support families, strengthen our workforce, and build our city’s future. The Closet makes sure nobody has to miss
a day of work."

The new Trades Station Closet expands that mission by ensuring apprentices and trades workers have access to everyday essentials that can remove obstacles to success. The Trades Station Closet offers work clothing, boots, hygiene products, and other necessities that can make a meaningful difference for someone preparing for a new job, an apprenticeship, or a fresh start in the trades.

The Closet reflects the City's commitment to investing in people and creating pathways to opportunity, while recognizing that meeting basic needs is often the first step toward long-term success.

“Sometimes it is the simplest thing that stops someone from going to work. That could be boots or clean workwear. This is how we can provide support so nobody ever has to miss a day of work to feed their family,” said Joan Baker, executive director of the Local 412 Outreach and Education Foundation.

The Trades Station Closet is available to members and apprentices from building trades organizations beyond UA Local 412.

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