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General Contractor apprenticeships in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has 26 registered general contractor apprenticeship programs: 0 union and 26 open shop.1 Apprentices are hired and paid while they learn.
Find a program near you
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26 programs
ADS Construction Inc
East Providence · Providence County
Ahlborg Construction Corporation
Warwick · Kent County
CAM HVAC & Construction Inc
Smithfield · Providence County
Capozzoli Construction LLC
Coventry · Kent County
Core Construction Services LLC
Saunderstown · Washington County
Dexter Electrical & Construction Co
Mapleville · Providence County
Dimeo Construction Company
Johnston · Providence County
Dubon Masonry Construction LLC
East Greenwich · Kent County
Eastern Electric Construction Co Inc
Cranston · Providence County
Electrical Construction Specialists LLC
Middletown · Newport County
HSP Construction LLC
West Greenwich · Kent County
JMC Construction Plumbing & Heating LLC
Providence · Providence County
JPS Construction & Design Inc
Middletown · Newport County
Kasabian Construction II Inc
Providence · Providence County
Mill City Construction Inc
Lincoln · Providence County
Nation Wide Construction Corporation
Woonsocket · Providence County
Newport Electric Construction Corp
Portsmouth · Newport County
Pezzuco Construction Inc
Cranston · Providence County
Reagan Marine Construction LLC
Newport · Newport County
Rhode Island Construction Training Academy
Pawtucket · Providence County
Rhode Island Construction Training Academy (RICTA)
Pawtucket · Providence County
RICTA (Rhode Island Construction Training Academy)
Pawtucket · Providence County
RICTA (RI Construction Training Academy)
Pawtucket · Providence County
Sole Source Construction LLC
Cranston · Providence County
Tower Construction Corp.
Cranston · Providence County
Wonderwall Construction Inc
Central Falls · Providence County
No programs match. Clear the county or type filter, or try a nearby ZIP.
Union or open shop?
Union
Run by the regional Carpenters training committee. You apply to the committee, take an aptitude test and an interview, and wait on a ranked list. The committee sends you to its contractors.
Pay is a set share of the union journey-level rate and steps up on a schedule. Classes are nights or week-long blocks, usually paid for by the program.
Open shop
Run by ABC, AGC or a single builder. You usually get hired by a member contractor first, and the contractor enrolls you.
Your employer sets the pay and the raises. Classes are nights or weekends, and some programs charge tuition.
What do programs ask for?
Age
Usually 18. Some programs take applications at 17.
High school diploma or GED
Most programs ask for one. Bring a transcript.
Aptitude test or interview
Union programs give an aptitude test (math and reading) and an interview, then rank applicants. Open-shop programs usually start with a job offer.
Driver's license and drug screen
Many programs ask for both, since apprentices drive between job sites.
Applying this month
Get your papers together1 week
High school transcript or GED, a photo ID, and your birth certificate or proof of age. Programs that ask for algebra want the transcript that shows it.
- Time
- 1 week
Practice for the aptitude test2 to 4 weeks
Union programs test algebra and reading. A few evenings with a practice test helps your ranking.
- Time
- 2 to 4 weeks
Pick three programs and check their dates1 evening
Union programs take applications in set windows, some once a year. Open-shop programs and employer programs often take them year-round.
- Time
- 1 evening
Apply, then keep working
Apply to all three. While you wait, a helper or trainee job with a licensed contractor gives you hours and a reference.
Can't get in yet?
Pre-apprenticeship
Short programs, often free, that teach the basics and help with the application. Ask the programs above which ones they take graduates from.
Start on a crew
Licensed contractors hire helpers with no experience. Keep a log of your hours and employers; many programs and license boards count them. If you'd rather learn the basics first, 2 schools in Rhode Island have general contractor programs.
The license steps in Rhode IslandHow do you get into a general contractor apprenticeship in Rhode Island?
Pick programs near you, check each one's website for its application dates, and apply to more than one. Union programs test and interview, then rank applicants; open-shop programs usually start once a member contractor hires you.
How much do general contractor apprentices make in Rhode Island?
Programs set their own scales, usually a share of journey-level pay that rises every year. For a floor, the lowest-paid tenth of all general contractors in Rhode Island earned $28.00 an hour or less in May 2025.
General Contractor pay in Rhode IslandOther routes in Rhode Island
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Rhode Island, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)