Money Management Skills for Apprentices

Construction workers have the potential to earn good wages and benefits, but many experience periods of unemployment due to lack of work, seasonal downturns, or injury. A typical first year apprentice may work just 9 months in a normal year.

The Financial Tools class

The Financial Tools class consists of four one-hour lessons that can be taught together in a single day, or separately over several days of instruction. Lessons include:

1. Be Prepared

Apprentices learn the financial realities of working in the trades, calculate first-year take-home earnings, and learn tips for saving money and being prepared for periods of unemployment.

2. The Power of Spending Plans

Apprentices learn how to create a spending plan, one of the best tools for managing money. They also learn to track expenses, plug “spending leaks” and identify ways they can increase their income or cut their expenses.

3. Making Credit Work for You

Apprentices learn what credit is, how to read a credit report, strategies for building or improving their credit, and the full cost of using credit. Apprentices request a free copy of their credit report.

4. Take Control of your Debt

Apprentices learn how to develop a personal debt repayment plan, and how to seek outside assistance if they need more help dealing with their debt.

Trainer Toolkit

Our Trainer Toolkit has everything that apprenticeship programs need to teach the Financial Tools class to apprentices – instructor scripts, ready-made PowerPoint presentations, activities, frequently asked questions, and more. It goes hand-in-hand with the Financial Survival Guide for Apprentices.