Member Spotlight: Morgan Bruce
It is common for students to hear about career opportunities in the trades through school presentations, but for Morgan Bruce (Local 1510 – Negaunee, MI), the message resonated in an unexpected way. While chaperoning her students during one of these informational sessions, she discovered firsthand about the benefits that come with a union trades career.
“During that tour I learned about the benefits and wage package in the union, worker protections, and the apprenticeship program. I decided industrial maintenance sounded like a fun path to take, and submitted an application to be a millwright later that week.”
Now, Morgan has been a union apprentice for over two and a half years. She especially emjoyslearning about the behind-the-scenes industry efforts that help run our country’s economy and the skilled labor that makes it all possible.
“The apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to learn the technical skills needed to be successful in an array of industrial fields. It has also opened the door for me to travel the country and learn the ins and outs of what it means to be a millwright,” Morgan said.
One of her favorite projects in the union has been working with other members of her local to build up member engagement and strengthen the culture.
“At the beginning of this year, I started hosting monthly member engagement meetings at our hall, giving members a space to gather outside of our regular union meetings. As a result, many have taken initiative, bringing big ideas for boosting retention and becoming politically active in our local government. I’m incredibly grateful for the brothers and sisters who have been supportive in this endeavor, and always show up with great ideas and ready to take action.”
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Morgan not only enjoys the apprenticeship, but she strongly encourages others to take that next step toward a career in the trades.
“I take every opportunity I can to volunteer with Schools to Tools, career fairs, and other recruiting events,” Morgan shared. “My cousin was sworn in because I was recruiting at my family reunion this past summer. I love sharing my experiences as a millwright, the work I do, and the life union wages has provided me.”
When asked what she would tell high school students who do not want to go to college about becoming a union carpenter, Morgan shared an honest perspective from her own experience.
“I would tell them that I wish I knew about the UBC in high school. While I do value the education I pursued, I have thousands of dollars in student loans that crippled me financially as a teacher. Learning a skilled trade out of high school can set a young person up financially and allow them to begin their adult life debt free.”
For Morgan, being a union millwright means helping continue to grow a culture rooted in strength, support, and solidarity.
“In my time as a millwright, I have listened and learned about the progress made over the past decade that has prioritized instilling members with confidence and camaraderie,” Morgan stated.
She believes that the strong relationships between a diverse group of brothers and sisters is how we take care of one another and move into the future. In Morgan’s eyes, being a part of this change has shown her that members do not just belong to the union — they are the union.