Tag: New England

Who Spends Over 8 Million Dollars A Year To Train The Future Pipe Trades Workers In New England?

Well since you asked, I will tell you. All of the affiliated United Association Locals from across New England, that’s who. This is the only entity that supports concentrated training for the future pipe trades workers across the region without any government handouts.

  • Local 51, East Providence, RI
  • Local 693, Burlington, VT
  • Local 716, Augusta, ME
Local 537, Boston, MA

The members of the locals contribute a portion of their pay to support the Registered Apprenticeship Programs across the six state region. Plumbing, Pipefitting, Sprinklerfitting, and HVAC Technology is taught at at least every facility, every day of the week. There are currently about 1500 apprentices going to one of these schools everyday and Saturdays.

Eleven local unions are working hard to support the workforce of the future. In many cases, you hear talk about where are we going to find the workers of the future or you hear something like there are no one filling these jobs. Well, when it comes to the Pipe Trades in New England that is not the case. We have no shortage of applicants.

Not only do these hard working apprentices learn their craft in school, they also get paid to learn. During the day they work and at night they go to school. In some cases, they go to work for six weeks and then spend a week at school. Never the less, the United Association training programs are usually double the required hours than the individual states requirements for a registered training programs. Think about that, they get paid to work and train for free.

Local 777, Meriden, CT

The United Association is also leading the way in training our apprentices in the technologies that are part of our carbon reducing initiatives. Heat Pumps are going to play a large part of our future energy policy when it comes to carbon reduction. Our instructors are teaching all of this and more; Heat Pump Water Heaters, Geo Thermal Heating, and the latest in HVAC Building Management technologies.

So during National Apprenticeship Week, the Plumbing, Pipefitting, HVAC, and Sprinklerfitting locals across New England are well positioned for the jobs of the future. This also comes at no cost, no college debt, in fact it may include a free college education on top of this. The point is we are always looking for good people that want to work hard and be part of an organization that trains its members for the future. We are the ONLY organization that is training for the future.

If you think this may be for you reach out to one of the locals or at www.nepipetrades.org

  • Local 550, Weymouth, MA
  • Local 104, Holyoke, MA
  • Local 12, Boston, MA

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Your Plumbing System – Post Covid 19

After attending my fifth online conference/meeting/webinar the other day, the last one I logged on to was a Webinar provided by #IAPMO dealing with what effect would the workplace shutdowns have on vacant or close to vacant facilities. I think that this is very timely with everyone hoping that we can get back to work in near future.

I am sure that you can go to the IAPMO website to watch this informative webinar again. Representing Plumbers and Pipefitters throughout New England these workers and their contractors are aware of the dangers that lurk in stagnant water systems. Boston is a hotspot and almost most of the commercial operations have been empty for what may be now just around six weeks.image

Stagnant water systems may promote the growth of Legionella in systems that sit. Water temperatures in systems have risen due to just the ambient temperature of the building. These temperatures may now be approaching the danger zone for the growth of theses  dangerous organisms.

One of the presenters Dr. Janet Stout, an infectious disease specialist dealing with legionella, provides a very user friendly understanding of the way it grows and the potential for it in the building plumbing system. I think you are starting to get the understanding that wholesale flushing of the systems may be in order to safely reopen a building.

Tom Bigley, Director of the World Plumbing Council as well as the Director of Plumbing for the United Association, provides a really good roadmap for what really people should be thinking about in respect to this. A great point Tom made was that the general public needs to understand that Plumbing and Mechanical systems are designed for flow and use, not sitting Therefore the systems need to be moving.

Throughout New England the more densely populated areas have seen the most cases but much of the area has been part of a stay at home policy. So all property owners need to do an assessment of their plumbing and mechanical systems going forward. Larger properties may in fact have a water management plan, smaller places may not but commonsense should rule the day. IAPMO has a great tip sheet on their website that can show the way to address the concerns of reopening a system.

Across New England United Association members and their contractors are ready to assist property owners as they begin to navigate the new normal that is living with COVID-19. If you need a contractor to assist you, please visit http://nepipetrades.org/index.aspx.

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