| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Employer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit construction training center; not a college. Registered apprenticeship sponsor and pre-apprenticeship (Jumpstart) provider |
| Location | 1 training center: 1300 James I Harrison Jr Pkwy, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405, plus a mobile Rural Jumpstart program that travels to rural Alabama counties |
| Trades | Electrical, HVAC, plumbing and carpentry (building construction); alarms named in apprenticeship materials |
| Credentials | No degree or diploma. NCCER curriculum and Core training, OSHA 10, first aid/CPR, scissor and boom lift cards; apprenticeship hours toward state journeyman exams |
| Accreditation | None as a school. Says it runs registered apprenticeships with the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship and U.S. Department of Labor |
| Federal aid | None found (not a college; no FAFSA or Pell) |
| Cost | Day trade classes $1,500 for January-May 2027; evening contractor courses $45 to $500; apprenticeship tuition not published |
| Students | About 140 in training in April 2026, per WBRC |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
An employer-led construction training center in Tuscaloosa
Skilled Trades of West Alabama is a nonprofit set up by local construction employers to train electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians and carpenters for West Alabama. Its about page calls it an “employer-based and led 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization focused only on the construction trades.” It is not a college or a licensed private school: it awards no degrees or diplomas, and students work toward industry cards and apprenticeship hours instead. It opened in September 2020 in the former Tuscaloosa Center for Technology building on James I Harrison Jr Parkway, with Premier Service Company, West Alabama Works and the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship as partners, the Tuscaloosa Thread reported. Part of its funding comes from the Alabama Construction Industry Craft Training (CICT) Program, which Business Alabama explained in 2022 is paid for by a share of contractors’ permit and license fees. The center is still operating: WBRC reported about 140 students in training in April 2026, and the site lists day classes for January to May 2027. Mark White is listed as program director.
Programs: apprenticeships, day classes and Jumpstart
The center runs three kinds of training. Apprenticeship night classes are for people already employed in a trade. Day Trade Classes and the Jumpstart programs are for beginners. Evening courses for working contractors lead to single cards or exams. Instruction follows the NCCER curriculum and, the school says, is taught by NCCER-certified instructors; it does not claim NCCER accreditation for the center itself.
| Program | Credential | Campus | Schedule and delivery | Prepares for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Trade Classes (Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing) | NCCER Core plus apprenticeship level one; 18 weeks | Tuscaloosa | Mon-Thu, 8am-2pm, in person; last 6 weeks are an internship with a partner contractor | Entry-level work or apprenticeship |
| Electrical Apprenticeship | Apprenticeship classroom training (NCCER) | Tuscaloosa | One night a week, 3 hours, August to May; must already work in the trade | Alabama journeyman electrician exam |
| Plumbing Apprenticeship | Apprenticeship classroom training (NCCER) | Tuscaloosa | Night classes, August to May; must already work in the trade | State journeyman plumber license exam |
| HVAC Apprenticeship | Apprenticeship classroom training (NCCER) | Tuscaloosa | Night classes, August to May | Not stated on the program page |
| Building Construction Jumpstart (Carpentry) | Pre-apprenticeship; OSHA 10, first aid/CPR; 14 weeks, 84 hours | Tuscaloosa | 2 nights a week, 3 hours a night | Entry-level carpentry jobs |
| Jumpstart (pre-apprenticeship) | 12 weeks, 2 classes a week | Tuscaloosa | In person | Entry-level construction jobs |
| Rural Jumpstart | OSHA 10, scissor and boom lift, first aid/CPR | Mobile; instructors travel to rural counties | Not published | Entry-level construction jobs |
| Evening contractor courses | EPA 608, NATE, OSHA 10, lift cards, plumber exam prep | Tuscaloosa | 5-8pm, 2 to 8 sessions | Named card or exam |
What the main programs cover
Day Trade Classes
The Day Trade Classes are the main route for beginners. The next session runs from 4 January to 6 May 2027, Monday to Thursday from 8am to 2pm, in electrical, plumbing or HVAC. The 18 weeks are split into three 6-week phases: NCCER Core (safety, tools, basic skills and communication), trade-specific training that completes level one of the apprenticeship for that trade, and an on-the-job internship with a partner contractor. The page does not say what the internship pays. In January 2026 WBRC reported a 400-hour paid internship at $16 an hour for the earlier, 12-week version of the course, which then cost $950.
Electrical apprenticeship
The electrical program is classroom training for people already employed by an electrical contractor, who log their on-the-job hours at work. Classes for 2026-27 run August 2026 to May 2027, and the apprenticeship page says classes meet one night a week for 3 hours. The 16 topics run from electrical safety and the National Electrical Code through load calculations, transformers, motor controls, emergency systems and fire alarm circuits. The school says completers will have the hours and knowledge to take the journeyman test. In 2022 Business Alabama reported that electrician apprentices need 8,000 on-the-job hours before that exam. The page lists no tuition.
Plumbing and HVAC apprenticeships
The plumbing apprenticeship is also for people already working in the trade and aims at journeyman status and the state license test; topics include water supply piping, fixtures and valves, venting, sewage pumps and service plumbing. The HVAC apprenticeship covers trade math, air distribution, soldering and brazing, refrigerants and leak detection, heat pumps and sheet metal ducts, but its page names no license, NATE or EPA 608 exam. Both pages said applications for 2026-27 were closed when we checked; ask about the next intake, which the site says opens in June.
Jumpstart and carpentry
Jumpstart is the center’s pre-apprenticeship: a 12-week course with two classes a week covering career paths, safety and tools, with help finding a job afterwards. The Building Construction Jumpstart for carpentry is 14 weeks and 84 hours, two nights a week, and includes OSHA 10 and first aid/CPR. Rural Jumpstart brings instructors to rural Alabama counties and lists OSHA 10, scissor lift, boom lift and first aid/CPR. Jumpstart students can then go into STePS, a placement program where they complete 400 hours with partner contractors, who can hire them afterwards.
Cost and how students pay
The center publishes prices for its day classes and evening contractor courses, but not for its apprenticeship classes, Jumpstart or Rural Jumpstart. Prices below are from the day classes and contractor training schedule pages.
| Course | Length | Cost (as listed October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Day Trade Classes, 4 January to 6 May 2027 | 18 weeks | $1,500 |
| Journeyman Plumber License Exam Prep | 8 sessions | $500, includes gas code book |
| NATE HVAC (Gas Heat) | 5 sessions | $300 tuition plus $175 test |
| NATE Low GWP Refrigerant | 4 sessions | $300 tuition plus $175 instruction and test |
| EPA-608 Universal | 2 sessions | $70, includes study guide and test |
| OSHA 10 | 4 evenings | $50 |
| Scissor lift, boom lift or rough-terrain forklift/telehandler | 2 evenings each | $45 each |
Some programs have been free. WBRC reported that a 2023 Jumpstart class for new high-school graduates was free to students, and a December 2023 Pickens County Jumpstart was advertised as free. A WVUA 23 report (undated) listed a $400 carpentry class for ages 18 to 24. Because prices have changed from year to year, ask what your program costs and whether your employer pays for apprenticeship classes. As a non-college training center it does not take federal student aid. We found no published policy on WIOA or other grants; ask the school or your local Alabama Career Center.
Who can enroll
Requirements depend on the program. The 2027 Day Trade Classes are limited to people aged 18 to 32 with a high-school diploma or GED, a valid driver’s license, a clean driving and criminal record, the right to work in the U.S., and a passed background check. Electrical and plumbing apprenticeship classes require you to be currently employed in that trade; beginners are pointed to Jumpstart. Earlier Jumpstart classes targeted young adults aged 18 to 24, and the carpentry page mentions an orientation with math and aptitude assessments. Applications go through the website’s apply link or by phone on (205) 771-6655. No prior trade experience is needed for the beginner programs, WBRC reported.
Accreditation and results
Skilled Trades of West Alabama is not an accredited college and does not report to the federal IPEDS database, so there are no federal graduation or earnings figures. It says it runs registered apprenticeship programs under the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship and the U.S. Department of Labor. It publishes no completion, placement or license-exam pass rates. The school states a goal of “100% employment” for the students it trains, WBRC reported; that is a goal, not a published result. WBRC also reported 120 students completing training in fall 2025, up from 40 when it started. Charity Navigator gives the nonprofit 2 of 4 stars.
Before you enroll
- This is not a college. You earn industry cards (NCCER, OSHA 10, EPA 608, lift cards) and apprenticeship hours, not a degree or diploma, and federal student aid does not apply.
- The apprenticeship classes do not make you a journeyman. Alabama licenses need thousands of on-the-job hours with an employer as well as an exam; the plumber exam prep course requires 2 years of apprenticeship under a master plumber.
- The 2027 day classes have an age limit of 32 and require a clean driving and criminal record.
- Prices have changed often ($950 for a 12-week day course in January 2026, $1,500 for an 18-week course in 2027). Get the current cost in writing.
- Internship pay for the 2027 day classes is not stated on the site; ask before you start.
Location
All in-person classes are at 1300 James I Harrison Jr Pkwy, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405, phone (205) 771-6655. Rural Jumpstart is taught on site in rural counties; a 2024 class met at 99 Commerce Ave, Carrollton, in Pickens County.
What students say
We found too few reviews to summarize. The school has a Google listing, but we could not confirm a current review count, and it is not listed on Niche. News reports quote students positively, but those are not independent reviews. Ask the school to put you in touch with recent graduates or partner contractors.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Apprenticeship (for people working in the trade)
- Electrical Apprenticeship
- Plumbing Apprenticeship
- HVAC Apprenticeship
Beginner training
- Day Trade Classes: Electrical, HVAC or Plumbing (18 weeks)
- Jumpstart pre-apprenticeship (12 weeks)
- Building Construction Jumpstart (Carpentry, 14 weeks)
- Rural Jumpstart (mobile)
- STePS 400-hour contractor placement
Evening courses for contractors
- NATE HVAC (Gas Heat) and Low GWP Refrigerant
- EPA-608 Universal
- Journeyman Plumber License Exam Prep
- OSHA 10
- Scissor lift, boom lift and rough-terrain forklift/telehandler
Campus Locations
Tuscaloosa, AL 1300 James I Harrison Jr Pkwy, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405