Congratulations to the 2022 Hall of Fame Award Recipients
The Apprenticeship Hall of Fame was established in 1981 by the California Apprenticeship Council to recognize those who have made significant contributions to apprenticeship in California. This year, we honor seven individuals whose dedicated service and commitment to apprenticeship went above and beyond.
Aram Hodess
Aram Hodess started his apprenticeship journey in 1972, when he enrolled in a plumbing and steamfitter program sponsored by the United Association of Plumber and Steamfitters (UA) Local 159 in Martinez. He graduated from that program 5 years later as a skilled tradesman with the opportunity to grow in a challenging career.
In 1989, Hodess was elected financial-secretary treasurer of Local 159, a job that offered a seat on the joint apprenticeship and training council. In that role, Hodess worked with apprenticeship coordinators, instructors and union employers to advance instruction in new work techniques, tools and materials. As a member of the Local's negotiating committee, Hodess conferred with union employers and helped bargain for increased hourly training contributions to fund this expanding training curriculum. In 2000, Hodess was elected business manager of Local 159, where he continued his efforts to improve the program's training.
His interest in worker training was not limited to his Local's apprenticeship program. As a local union officer, he worked with school districts to develop building trades pre-apprenticeship programs. And he built community awareness of union apprenticeship training programs and career opportunities in the building trades.
Hodess believes worker training is most effective when both workers and employers have a voice. In 1999, he was appointed to the State Employment Training Panel (ETP). He was particularly enthusiastic about ETP's governing structure, which mandates business and union collaboration—the type of collaboration that is key to the success of jointly managed apprenticeship programs.
He was appointed to the CAC in 2005 and served until 2019. As a member of the rules and regulations sub-committee, Hodess was proud to help draft and adopt CAC regulatory changes that assure better apprenticeship training and employment opportunities on public works projects.
For nearly 25 years, Hodess has worked to improve apprentice and journeyman training opportunities, providing pathways to quality jobs for working Californians. Aram retired from UA Local 159 in 2016 and ended his tenure on the CAC in 2019.
In 1993, Shanks joined the Cypress Mandela Training Center, an Oakland-based training institution for pre-apprentice construction, and became the executive director in 2003. It was then that he formed his nationally acclaimed pre-apprenticeship program. The free 16-week program benefits high school graduates, veterans and formerly incarcerated people. The training center provides well-trained workers to good paying jobs with employers such as BART and PG&E.
Shanks worked tirelessly advocating for the underserved, disenfranchised and unemployed. He ensured there were meaningful pathways through apprenticeship in the construction building trades, environmental, transportation and utility industries. Above all, he was a devoted husband, father and friend. He passed away in 2019. His legacy will continue to make an impact on his community through all of his work for apprenticeship and through the Cypress Mandela pre-apprenticeship program.
Over his tenure, Bailey has established himself as the steam technology instructor. Not only has he taught apprentices, but he also held seminars at the PTTC for Stanford Engineering students. Bailey is considered a Local 393 treasure and his reputation as a tough but fair instructor is legendary. He has even taught steam courses at Local 342 in Concord and over the years has earned the moniker “Mr. Steam.” Bill is the only living instructor on the Loyd E. Williams Instructor Wall of Fame.
Bailey's dedication and commitment to training are unsurpassed. His expertise has been used to assist in court decisions surrounding construction accidents that were caused by faulty steam installations. He was instrumental in his contributions to the creation of the PTTC's Steam Curriculum. Working with the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute, he helped develop detailed curriculum for daily lesson plans and other accompanying training materials covering the entire five-year program. Each year, Bailey spends extra time reviewing and upgrading the curriculum ensuring that it remains relevant and up to date.
Bill Bailey served his country in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam as a Seabee and is currently retired from Local 393.
Although retired, Simonich currently serves as the apprenticeship programs manager for the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). When he first started, SJCOE served as the LEA for one apprenticeship program with approximately 30,000 hours of RSI allocation and funding. Due to his expertise and knowledge, along with his contacts in the apprenticeship community, he has grown the overall apprenticeship programs that SJCOE serves as the LEA to approximately 50, with an RSI allocation of over 700,000 hours annually with funding. SJCOE has become the third largest LEA for apprenticeships in California, because of Don's hard work and tenacity.
He was a member of the Service Employees International Union and its predecessor, the California State Employees Association. Simonich also spent 10 years as the Apprenticeship Program Coordinator for a union and management program. In this role, he shepherded hundreds of apprentices to Journeyman status. His expertise earned him the “Outstanding Achievement Award” presented by the San Joaquin Area Apprenticeship Council.
Simonich recognized the advantages of concentrated schooling, so he was instrumental in changing the Saturday related and supplemental instruction classes to one-week full-time, four times per year. At first met with resistance, employers came around when they found this option provided a better-educated and trained apprentice.
He continues to stay abreast and involved in applied strategies that improve apprentices' chances for a successful and prosperous career. Simonich has served the California Conference on Apprenticeship in more than one role during the last 20 years. It would be unusual for Don to miss a CAC or CCA meeting or conference.
Throughout his career and retirement, Simonich has successfully helped thousands of apprentices, employers and unions, navigate the world of apprenticeships. He is one of the longest serving constituents, implementing new and innovative approaches to helping the workforce. Simonich has been an ambitious leader, overcoming obstacles and navigating the ever-changing systems, to grow what he believes is the best workforce opportunity for thousands of people in California.
Mazzola began his own career in 1961, as a plumber apprentice with Local 38. He was on the board of the Local 38 Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee from 1966 until he retired in 2013. He spent 6 years as the assistant apprentice coordinator for the Local 38 and 16 years on the United National Plumbing Training Committee.
During his time as a business manager, he was instrumental in the construction of the Joseph P. Mazzola Training Center in San Francisco, and ensured that the training center in Santa Rosa got the updates needed to provide the best training to apprentices in the industry. This included new classrooms, new educational technology, new shop buildings for the plumbing and HVAC/R programs.
Throughout his career, Mazzola has always emphasized the importance of training and apprenticeship. He believes that training improves workers, industry, unions and ultimately society. He has been a champion for apprenticeship and vocational training, especially union apprenticeships, because they open the door to a rewarding and challenging career.
When speaking to apprentices, he had a caring but firm nature, challenging them to improve and be successful. His ability to motivate, inspire and assist might have come from his love for sports and his experience playing quarterback for the University of California, Los Angeles. Marshall was a supportive resource who always made himself available and offered guidance to keep programs consistent and compliant. He played a significant role in many apprenticeship program's success.
Marshall passed on November 13, 2019. We are forever indebted to his service for all the apprentices he supported on their path to journeyman. He leaves a large mark on the California apprenticeship community.
As the Dean of the Applied Sciences and Technology Division at San Joaquin Delta College, Guantone served as the LEA representative to many apprenticeship programs. He successfully wrote and was awarded the first CAI grant to start the logistic technician and electric bus technician occupations. This high-level management position provided the opportunity to be a strong promoter of apprenticeship programs throughout Northern California. He continually emphasized the importance of providing high quality, efficient and effective apprenticeship instruction, ensuring apprentices achieve the required knowledge and skills of a competent journeyworker.
Upon retiring from San Joaquin Delta College, Guantone was asked to join Don Simonich at SJCOE to support the management of over 50 apprenticeship programs, of which SJCOE is the LEA. In this role, he has assisted in the development of new and innovative apprenticeship programs in the information technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and public service programs, as well as programs aimed specifically for veterans.
Guantone was an integral part of the San Joaquin Area Apprenticeship Coordinators Association for over 27 years as their secretary, treasurer and coordinator. In 2005, he developed and coordinated the first construction trades fair in Stockton. Over 194 high school juniors and seniors participated. Students were involved in hands-on demonstrations in 13 different construction trades. Guantone continued coordinating this career fair until 2015. This program is still going strong today. Attendance has grown to over 800 students interacting with more than 17 building and construction trades representatives.
For the past 25 years, he has served as the coordinator for the San Joaquin Valley Automotive Trade JATC. This is one of the few apprenticeship programs that requires apprentices to earn an Associate of Science Degree to complete their apprenticeship program. This is thanks to Guantone's deep understanding of the community college system.
He was instrumental in creating the first high school apprenticeship program to be approved by DAS. The San Joaquin High School apprenticeship program allows qualifying students to start their apprenticeship program while in high school, complete part of their training and work part-time with employers for their OJT. The program was approved in October 2020 with the information technology support occupation, and the second set of standards for teacher's aide/para-professional occupation were approved in November 2021.
April 2022