 
Wisconsin's Union Glaziers Have New Training
Center
March 4, 2010
On February 1 Painters and Allied Trades District Council No. 7,
an affiliate of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
(IUPAT), started operating out of its new offices and training center
in Big Bend, Wis. The new center has approximately 40,000 square
feet of dedicated training space of which about one third is being
used for glazing apprentice instruction.
"We are excited to finally be able to offer our glazing contractors
a significant improvement in the training of glazing apprentices,"
says IUPAT training director Adam Holmes. "We hope this will
translate into improved profit margins for them, as well as a closer
working relationship."
Joel Allen, business representative for IUPAT District Council No.
7 in Big Bend, Wis., explains that the new building more than quadruples
the previous training center, and improves accessibility by combining
the training ground and offices into one location.
"It is quite impressive, but it is still a big empty space
right now," Allen says of the brand new facility. "We've
got the skeleton of the glazing mock-up set up right now, and it's
huge."
The $40,000+ mock-up currently is being adapted so that apprentices
in other trades - drywall finishing and painting apprentices also
are trained here - can use it as well.
"We are working toward being able to offer training and certification
in the installation of SuperSky skylight systems, as well as point-supported
training, in conjunction with Novum Structures. This will be in
addition to the storefront, curtainwall, mirror and heavy tempered
instruction we do normally," Allen adds.
At this point the district is still waiting for increases in numbers
of apprentices, but Allen is optimistic that the new training center
will soon be put to good use.
"We had a very large lot going through and of course a lot
of them have completed - but we are interviewing a lot of people,"
he says. He adds, "Work in our area is projected to pick up
this spring, and then 2011 is considered to be turnaround year."
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