Students starting in the United Association Veterans In Piping (UA VIP) program Joint Base Lewis-McChord Welding Class 28 are preparing for new civilian careers that include good-paying wages, quality full-family healthcare and retirement benefits.
Thanks to their military training, the students that make up JBLM Welding Class 28 are all transitioning active-duty service members who possess traits that are valuable in the piping industry. This includes a strong work ethic and ability to work well on a team.
These characteristics combined with the training they are about to receive will positively influence their piping industry careers.
During the next 18 weeks, UA VIP Class 28 students will receive classroom instruction and hands-on training from experienced journeyman instructors. They will earn welding-specific industry-recognized certifications and qualifications as they advance through the program.
Certifications include but are not limited to oxy-fuel cutting, SMAW plate welding, SPAW and GTAW pipe welding and SMAW pipe spooling. They will also learn the advanced inner workings of welding through blueprint analysis and maintenance techniques for all types of piping systems.
By the time JBLM Welding Class 28 students graduate, they will know how to effectively measure, cut and weld as they install, maintain and repair complex pipeline networks.
Upon completing the program and transitioning out of the military, Welding Class 28 graduates will have a head start on their peers when they start their registered apprenticeship.
A successful civilian career awaits
Among the UA VIP program's most valuable aspects is its guarantee to place students in a UA-registered apprenticeship program at an agreed-upon location. Admittance into an apprenticeship program with guaranteed job placement allows the UA VIP graduates to learn from experienced professionals in the classroom and on job sites while earning a livable wage, pension and 401K for their retirement.
The UA VIP program offers various career opportunities for active-duty military members interested in the piping industry, including welding, HVACR and fire suppression.
Students can choose from any of the following locations to begin their training:
- Camp Pendleton, California
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
- Fort Carson, Colorado
- Fort Cavazos, Texas
- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
- Fort Campbell, Kentucky
- Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
Military members interested in applying to the above locations do not need to be stationed at those installations. Please contact your local Career Skills Program office to learn about specific eligibility requirements for application to a DOD Skillbridge Program.
The VIP program is 100 percent free to participants of the program and the Department of Defense. The program is paid for by members of the UA and their partner contractors.
Active duty-service members interested in applying are not required to have experience in their preferred trade. The UA VIP program is designed to prepare students with little-to-no experience in the pipe trades for an apprenticeship with the UA.
By joining the UA VIP program, they gain access to comprehensive on-base training programs, which provide them with the skills to have a long and successful civilian career.
Comments