Members of the United Association Veterans in Piping Program (UA VIP) HVAC-R Class 10 at Naval Station Norfolk are eagerly learning a new trade as they prepare for life after the military.
HVAC-R Class 10 participants have taken the challenge of the UA VIP Program to heart and are showing a lot of dedication, as they learn new career skills in the final weeks of the free 18-week Skillbridge training program. Students in the UA VIP Program in Norfolk are learning basic HVAC-R skills in order to prepare them for a long and successful career in the UA.
Quevin Caldwell, a student in HVAC-R Class 10 is pleased with the program so far.
“There is a lot of information to absorb quickly for a person who has never seen it before, but I like it,” Caldwell said.
The UA VIP program is open to all transitioning active-duty military service members and provides guaranteed employment with a UA signatory contractor upon graduation and transition out of the armed forces.
Lead UA VIP HVAC-R Instructor at Naval Station Norfolk Marvin Donnell, is impressed with his students.
“The class is a young, eager group, who breezed through the first four weeks,” he said. “Teaching this class is a dream.”
In addition to a guaranteed job upon successful completion of the VIP program, graduates gain direct entry into the UA’s five-year registered apprenticeship program at an agreed upon location nationwide.
Throughout the five-year apprenticeship program, UA VIP graduates will work as apprentices, earning a livable wage while working for a UA signatory contractor. As they improve their skillset, apprentices will receive corresponding wage increases until they top out as highly trained and skilled journeymen.
UA apprentices receive excellent health insurance, which can make a major difference financially and help alleviate concerns for families when raising young children. In addition to the health insurance, they also get great retirement benefits such as a 401k plan and a pension.
The careers forged from this program are rewarding and allow these active-duty transitioning military service members to provide for their families, now and in the future.
To learn more about the HVAC-R program at Naval Station Norfolk, click here.
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