Finishing Trades Institute of the Ohio Region

Join A Registered Apprenticeship Program

What type of work do the finishing trades perform?

Glaziers cut and install all types and sizes of glass. They also fabricate and install curtain walls, aluminum entrances, storefronts, skylights and revolving doors; install all types of door hardware; and fit and install plastic and porcelain panels in metal and wood frames.

Painters prepare surfaces of buildings and other structures and then apply paint with brushes, rollers or sprayers. They work with varnish, enamels, lacquer, latex and other materials. Painters also paint interior rooms or cover walls with paper, fabrics, vinyl or other materials.

Drywall finishers prepare unfinished interior drywall panels for painting by taping and finishing joints and imperfections.

Industrial painters prepare the surfaces of bridges, tanks and other structures using abrasive blasting and then apply coatings using sprayers, brushes or rollers.

Trait/Qualities

Glaziers must be able to work outside in all the elements, sometimes at tall heights. Successful candidates must be problem solvers, capable of meeting the fast-paced and physical demands of the job.

Industrial painters work outside in the spring, summer and fall, usually at tall heights. They must be able to quickly assess different situations to ensure safety and may work overnight hours.

Painters can work both indoors and outdoors, sometimes at heights and occasionally in tight spaces. They must be good with their hands and capable of standing on their feet for long periods of time.

Drywall finishers work indoors, sometimes on ladders or stilts. They must be able to work from heights and have a good eye for detail.

Why should I work in the finishing trades?
With four state-of-the-art training centers, the FTIOR specializes in complete training for:
  • Commercial painters
  • Drywall finishers
  • Glaziers
  • Industrial painters
  • Other allied trades
The FTIOR invests in the education of apprentices and journeymen as a means to build strong communities throughout Ohio. It impresses upon members that acquiring vital trade-specific skills is necessary to secure and maintain competitive wages, health and pension benefits and favorable working conditions. The FTIOR’s vision is unparalleled. Its comprehensive training programs are a collaborative effort designed to supply union contractors and associations with the most uniquely qualified workforce now and in the future. At a time when there is a building boom in Central Ohio, there is strong demand for members of the finishing trades – now and into the future

How to apply

Contact:
George Boots
Director of Training

Contact:
Tiffnee Sims
COE Accreditation Liaison

Address for Applications: 8700 Memorial Dr. Plain City, OH 43064
ftior.edu

Application Period: Apply Online

Program Length: 4 years (Painter, Glazier, Industrial Painter) and 3 years (Drywall) Classroom: 160 hours minimum per year On-the-Job: 1,500 hours minimum per year

Local 290 apprentices receive classroom instruction for two weeks, from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., and then work in the field for 3.5 months until the next two weeks of training commence.

RGeneral Program Qualifications:
  • Must be a high school graduate or GED equivalent;
  • Applicants shall not be less than eighteen (18) years of age, unless said applicant has complied with SECTION III. B and will turn eighteen years of age (18) within one (1) year of the completion of their probationary period.
  • Applicants shall be required to provide reliable proof of age at the time of acceptance(driver’s license, state-issued identification, birth certificate, or passport);
  • Must be physically capable of performing the work of the trade;
  • Must have reliable transportation; and
  • Must be employed by a contractor who is a signatory to District Council 6.
  • Apprentices must complete an apprenticeship project each year.