Local 168 has operated a Registered Apprenticeship since 1946. With our union registered apprenticeship program, indenture agreements are registered and regulated by both the Department of Labor and our Collective Bargaining Agreement. For 75 years, our apprentices have benefited from this structure where they receive clear periodic advancements upon completion of the published training requirements. To date, the Local 168 Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee has graduated over 300 Apprentices who now proudly earn a great living or have since retired from the mechanical construction trades.
The sponsor of our apprenticeship programs is our Board of Trustees, The Local 168 Joint Apprenticeship Committee. Our jointly managed board is comprised of three members from Local 168 and three representatives from our local mechanical contractors, making our training programs very responsive to changes in the industry. The JATC employs a full-time Training Coordinator to manage the programs and facilities and over 20 part-time Instructors to deliver industry related content. Our program has been led by several nationally respected Training Coordinators including Thomas Murphy, William Wark, Robert Burton, Patrick Lang and current Coordinator Jeff Smith.
Our program has grown over the years. From a small garage weld shop and single classroom in our Union Hall, we have operated a campus on the west-side in Marietta since 1989. In 2017, we completed our 4000 square foot weld shop addition equipped with 20 weld booths and the latest welding technology.
Our JATC has also added programs to our already successful Plumber/Pipefitter apprenticeship programs. In 2013, we added a school-to-apprenticeship program, a successful “pre-apprenticeship” program for local students interested in our trade attending area high school career centers. In 2015, we launched a registered HVACR apprenticeship program to support the growing HVACR market and provide more great employment opportunities and union jobs for local residents.