The Insulation Industry International Apprentice and Training Fund (IIIATF)’s 44th Annual Joint Apprentice
Conference (JAC) took place in Arizona this May, and for the first time, it was combined with the annual Local Union Officers Meeting.
The IIIATF hosted the three-day conference, which required a different schedule compared to prior years. The first day and part of the last day’s topics and speakers presented to the combined conferences. This left the Training Coordinators with a bit less time to instruct and teach coordinators and instructors in attendance about new techniques, regulations and developments related to mechanical insulator apprenticeship training.
A more detailed description of the first day topics can be read in the Local Union Officers article located in the Industry section of this edition of The Insulators Journal.
Day 2
The morning of Day 2 was filled with a Train-theTrainer class put on by Local 17 Instructor Shawn Craven and Local 34 Training Coordinator Erik Houske, along with representatives from 3M. This Train-the-Trainer certified all the instructors in the room with hands on instruction and a written test on 3M Venture Clad jacketing.
In the afternoon, Local 1 Training Coordinator Terry Walsh spoke on the Local Management System (LMS) and how it can be used to track the hours apprentices and mechanics are putting toward training initiatives. Local 16 Training Coordinator Billy Hodges presented on the digital platform, Turning Technologies, used by educators and trainers to engage the audience in polls. With the help of Local 16 Instructors Jonathan Blaine and William Hamman, they presented to the audience and engaged in actual polls and demonstrated the results and in-presentation features.
Working with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Local 6 Training Coordinator Rick Rothwell and Local 23 Training Coordinator Pete Deimler spoke about the Hot Work Safety Program and how many Insulators are working with Fire Departments and building inspectors to spread awareness and educate on properly completed firestopping work.
Day 3
Leading off the third day, Harmonization and the Red Seal certification program were discussed by Local 95 Training Coordinator Trevor Weir, Local 110 Training Coordinator Dan Annett and Local 119 Training Coordinator Carey Chutskoff.
Looking toward recruitment and retention and how new apprentices and members are oriented, Local 45 Training Coordinator Ryan Webb led off his presentation by asking the audience what they are doing differently to make recruitment efforts more successful with a millennial target group. Local 18 Training Coordinator Todd Conn and Retired Local 45 Training Coordinator Gavin Dailey also spoke about what some training programs are doing to meet the needs of this evolving audience.
Local 12 Training Coordinator Joe Rodgers and Local 86 Training Coordinator Shane Hammock presented on the enforcement of apprenticeship rules and regulations with the deep impression that all the programs need to be aligned when it comes to classification and regulations.
IIIATF Administrator Tom Haun provided an update on union-wide training initiatives and held an open session for feedback and discussion about the direction of the conference and the training initiatives within the IIIATF.
The International and the IIIATF thank the Training Coordinators and Instructors who presented during the conference. We appreciate your dedication to this trade and your willingness to continually train our Brothers and Sisters.