Maryland’s construction boom is creating opportunity in the trades

Experienced pile drivers and carpenters — not just apprentices — can join the Carpenters Union and build long-term careers

William C. Sproule, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters

The opportunities I found in the Carpenters Union are the same opportunities opening up across Maryland today. With major infrastructure projects moving forward across the state, skilled carpenters, pile drivers, and welders are needed now more than ever.

I didn’t grow up expecting to lead a division of one of the country’s largest unions. Like many young people, I was just trying to find my way. After high school, I took whatever jobs were available. I worked hard, but like many in the trades, I didn’t have much stability.

That changed in 1989 when I joined the United Brotherhood of Carpenters as a first-year apprentice. That decision shaped the rest of my life.

Today, I serve as Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, representing more than 43,000 skilled tradespeople across six states and Washington, DC — including those working on major construction projects across Maryland.

Construction Ahead in Maryland

Right now, Maryland is entering one of the most active periods of heavy civil construction our region has seen in decades. Projects like the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the redevelopment of the Sparrows Point Container Terminal are creating years of steady work for carpenters and pile drivers. These projects require highly skilled workers — especially experienced pile drivers and welders — and the demand for those skills is only growing.

When I started my career, I came into the union through the apprenticeship program. That path is still one of the best ways for someone new to the trades to build a career. But it’s important to understand that it’s not the only path.

Pathways to a Career, Not Just a Job

Many of our members join the union after already working in the trades. If you’re an experienced carpenter, pile driver, welder, or heavy construction worker in Maryland, you can potentially organize into the Carpenters Union and immediately begin benefiting from the training, protections, and opportunities that union membership provides.

That includes access to healthcare, retirement benefits, and collective bargaining protections — along with access to some of the most advanced training facilities in the construction industry.

Through our Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers, members can build on their existing skills and expand into high-demand specialties like pile driving, marine construction, welding, and heavy foundation work. These are exactly the skills needed on the large-scale infrastructure projects happening across Maryland today.

For experienced tradespeople, joining the union can mean greater stability, better training, and the chance to work on some of the region’s biggest and most important projects.

Union Membership Matters

I know firsthand how transformative union membership can be. I started as an apprentice, learning the trade on real job sites, building projects people rely on every day. Over the years, I’ve worked on large buildings and major infrastructure projects — the kind that help communities grow and connect.

Like every construction worker, I also experienced the uncertainty that comes with the next job.

That’s exactly why unions like ours exist: to turn skilled trades into long-term careers and provide stability in an industry that can otherwise be unpredictable.

Right now, Maryland has those projects. Contractors are looking for skilled carpenters, pile drivers, and welders to help deliver some of the largest infrastructure investments the state has seen in years.

For tradespeople already working in construction, joining the union can open the door to those opportunities — along with stronger wages, healthcare coverage, retirement security, and ongoing training that keeps your skills sharp.

Building the Next Generation of Infrastructure

Construction is one of the few careers where you can build a life without taking on massive student debt. You learn a skilled trade. You earn while you train. And you can point to something real — a bridge, a port, a hospital, a building — and say, I helped build that.

Across Maryland right now, the next generation of infrastructure is being built — and skilled union carpenters and pile drivers will be the ones building it.

Whether you’re just starting out or already working in the trades, the Carpenters Union offers a path to stronger wages, better benefits, and long-term opportunity.

The work we do isn’t just about construction. It’s about building careers, strengthening communities, and creating opportunity for generations.