Larry Walters joined Local 242 in Seattle in 1972. As finding work became increasingly difficult, Larry knew that he needed skills training to better his employment prospects. In 1983, after the Western Washington Laborers Training Committee was founded, Larry signed up for the apprenticeship program. Larry went to work immediately and worked 1,500 hours of on-the-job training hours and attended 160 supplemental instruction hours to complete the program. On October 12, 1984 Larry became the first apprentice to graduate from the program. Larry says joining the program “was the best decision I’ve ever made.”