VIP Graduate Tardiff Earns Spot in Apprenticeship District Competition

When Nicholas Tardiff was nearing the end of his time in the U.S. Army, he was seeking a civilian career path worth pursuing. Based on personal experience, a friend pointed Tardiff toward the United Association Veterans in Piping (UA VIP) program.

Tardiff applied for the UA VIP program at Fort Carson and graduated from Welding Class 21. Today, he is an apprentice with Pipefitters Local 537 in Dorchester, Mass., and one of five UA VIP graduates who will compete in the United Association’s Apprentice District Competition, with a shot at advancing to the UA’s International Apprentice Contest later this year.

A Proven Pathway: UA VIP

The UA VIP program is a DoW SkillBridge program designed to help transitioning active-duty service members in their last six months of service prepare for a new civilian career through industry-leading training and guaranteed job placement.

During the 118-day, 720-hour curriculum, students learn basic pipe trades skills in one of three crafts: HVACR, welding or sprinkler fitting.

Once VIP participants graduate and transition out of the military, they enter the UA’s five-year Registered Apprenticeship Program, where they will continue to build on their newly acquired skill set without taking on student debt.

VIP graduates are also guaranteed jobs with a UA signatory contractor in an agreed-upon geographic location. They will receive direct entry into a UA Local Union and all the benefits of being a UA member, including good wages, excellent full-family medical insurance and great retirement benefits.

From VIP Graduate to Pipefitting Apprentice

Tardiff served four years as an infantryman in the U.S. Army. As his contract came to an end, he began looking for what would come next.

“Toward the end of my time there, I was looking for career paths to follow when my contract was finished,” said Tardiff. “I had a friend who took the VIP course, enjoyed it and referred me.”

He completed the welding curriculum at Fort Carson under instructor Jason Smith, learning the foundational skills that would carry him into a union apprenticeship and, eventually, to the district apprentice competition level.

Military Discipline Meets the Pipe Trades

Tardiff was candid about how his years in the Army shaped his approach to the job — especially on the hard days.

“I feel like the discipline and work ethic I learned in the military were very helpful in being successful,” he said. “Pipefitting and welding isn’t exactly an easy-going job. It’s got its good days and bad days, so being able to put your best foot forward even on a tough day can make a big difference.”

The transition itself brought its own set of challenges. The structured environment of military life doesn’t disappear overnight, and Tardiff acknowledged the adjustment was real.

“Things that surprised me in my new career would probably be culture shock,” he said. “The military is very rigid and structured, and leaving that environment once you get used to it can be difficult for anybody.”

He also opened up about the personal weight of the transition — a side of the experience that many veterans carry but fewer talk about publicly.

“My biggest challenge during this transition has probably been my mental health,” said Tardiff. “I left the military with a wife and a toddler to support, and we have since added another little boy to our family. Changing careers and moving across the country to start over is a very daunting task, and some days it got the better of me. Fortunately, I have a strong support system at home, and although it’s been difficult, I think the most important thing is to just keep putting one foot in front of the other and make progress every chance you get.”

Competing at the District Level, and Eyeing The International Contest

Tardiff is one of five UA VIP graduates who will represent their Local Union in the United Association’s Apprentice District Competition. The district competition winners will advance to the UA’s International Apprentice Contest — one of the most prestigious skills competitions in the skilled trades.

Held on the campus of Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Ann Arbor, Mich., the International contest runs in conjunction with the UA ITF’s week-long Instructor Training Program (ITP). Winners are announced at the ITP graduation ceremony.

The International contest brings together the best apprentices from the United States, Canada and Australia to compete in one of five core crafts: plumbing, pipefitting, sprinkler fitting, welding and HVACR. Competitors are evaluated through hands-on fabrication and troubleshooting projects, written examinations and oral interviews.

In 2026, there will be five VIP Graduates competing at one of the UA’s district competitions:

• Matthew Lefevre, Fort Carson Welding Class 26
• Nicholas Tardiff, Fort Carson Welding Class 21
• Mitchal Maines, Fort Carson Welding Class 27
• Genaro Soto, Naval Station Norfolk HVACR Class 22
• Zachary Julian, Fort Campbell Sprinkler Fitter Class 9

For Tardiff, competing is about more than personal achievement. It’s about representing the people and the organization that invested in him.

“Having the opportunity to compete in the district competition means that I will be able to represent my union and our training center in a way that demonstrates how much Pipefitters Local 537 invests in education throughout the apprenticeship program,” he said. “I hope I can live up to our reputation. Personally, it gives me the opportunity to show my kids that your goals can be accomplished if you set your mind to something and work diligently.”

His Message to Fellow Service Members

For service members thinking about their future after the military, Tardiff heartily endorsed the UA VIP Program.

“I would absolutely recommend that any service member thinking about doing the UA VIP program should do so. It’s been life-changing for my family and me. It’s given me an opportunity to transition to a life outside the military and still have a sense of brotherhood through the union,” he added.

A UA VIP Success Story Still Being Written

Nicholas Tardiff’s journey from Army infantryman to welding apprentice to district-level competitor is the type of story the UA VIP program was built to make possible. He came in on a friend’s recommendation, put in the work and has built a career and a life for his family in the process.

The UA family is proud of Brother Tardiff and every UA VIP graduate who is putting in the work every day. To learn more about the UA VIP program at Fort Carson, visit the Fort Carson web page.

UA VIP congratulates all the graduates who will be competing at the district competitions and wish them the best as they look to advance.