Preapprenticeship program exploits trainees, participants say

The address where trainees in the Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's HomeWorks program worked at 1103 Oak St. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Eric Mundy was a trainee in Interfaith Community Housing of Delawae's HomeWorks program, a pre-apprenticeship program for construction training. During his class, from October 2016 to early 2017, he said he was taken advantage of because the nonprofit assigned the trainees physical labor during "class time" -- during which they were not paid. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

A property at 103 Oak St. where trainees in the Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's HomeWorks program, a pre-apprenticeship program for construction training, worked on during their training. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Eric Mundy stands in front of the property at 103 Oak St. where he worked as a trainee in the Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's HomeWorks program, a pre-apprenticeship program for construction training. He felt he was in danger at the property because of the condition of disrepair. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Eric Mundy worked on the property at 3309 Jefferson St. where he said he made renovations for two full weeks but was only paid for days the nonprofit considered "on the job training" days for the Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's HomeWorks program, a pre-apprenticeship program for construction training. The home was owned by a Interfaith staff member. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Eric Mundy stands in front of the property at 103 Oak St. where he worked as a trainee in the Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's HomeWorks program, a pre-apprenticeship program for construction training. He felt he was in danger at the property because of the condition of disrepair. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Christian Butler, a graduate of Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's pre-apprentice construction program stands in front of house on the 1000 block of Walnut St. that he worked on during his time in the program. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Kashif Handy walks by one of the houses he has worked on through the "pre-apprenticeship" construction training program which trainees say they were exploited as free labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

Kashif Handy stands in front of one of the houses he has worked on through the "pre-apprenticeship" construction training program which trainees say they were exploited as free labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

Kashif Handy walks by one of the houses he has worked on through the "pre-apprenticeship" construction training program which trainees say they were exploited as free labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

Christian Butler, a graduate of Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's pre-apprentice construction program stands in front of house on the 1000 block of Walnut St. that he worked on during his time in the program. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

John Blyden with Local 55 shares his thoughts about Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's pre-apprenticeship program, a state-funded construction program that Blyden believes is skirting labor laws and taking advantage of workers. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

State Secretary of Labor Cerron Cade works in his office at Wilmington's Department of Labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

Gary Pollio, the executive director of Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware, shows the time sheets as he discusses the "pre-apprenticeship" construction training program through which trainees said they were exploited as free labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

State Secretary of Labor Cerron Cade works in his office at Wilmington's Department of Labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

Christian Butler, a graduate of Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware's pre-apprentice construction program. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

State Secretary of Labor Cerron Cade works in his office at Wilmington's Department of Labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal

Charles Brock, director of Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship committee of Philadelphia and vicinity, stands inside the Carpenter's Local 626 Joint Apprentice Training facility. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Participants in Carpenter's Local 626 Joint Apprentice Training class work on learning how to properly assemble scaffolding. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Cheyenne Mayo, 21, of Newark, assembles scaffolding in a Carpenter's Local 626 Joint Apprentice Training class. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Participants in Carpenter's Local 626 Joint Apprentice Training class learn how to assemble scaffolding. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Brian Hayworth, 28, of Philadelphia, assembles scaffolding in a Carpenter's Local 626 Joint Apprentice Training class. Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal

Gary Pollio, the executive director of Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware, discusses the "pre-apprenticeship" construction training program through which trainees said they were exploited as free labor. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal