The Insulation Industry International Apprentice and Training Fund (IIIATF) held its annual Trainer Enhancement program for instructors from the U.S. and Canada at the Maritime Institute in Maryland.
The IIIATF advanced training is made up of five congruent courses: Teaching Techniques 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Labor History. The courses are taught over six days in the middle of August. The program is one of the many offered by the IIIATF designed to better our instructors and their teaching techniques, as they educate the next generation of Insulators.
Throughout the week, students were engaged as they participated in group activities and made presentations. Many sessions included discussions and projects, featuring examples of new teaching strategies, as well as group work and course assignments.
HFIAW Local 6 Instructor Daniel Kirwin, a previous Master Apprentice Competition competitor from the New York/New England States Conference, recently became a part-time instructor, teaching sewing, layouts and the organized third-year class.
Kirwin, among many others, is attending the Trainer Enhancement classes on a scholarship from the IIIATF. Every Conference Champion who competes in the International Master Apprentice Competition (MAC) earns a four-year scholarship to attend the training.
“This class helped me become more comfortable with teaching the apprenticeship classes,” said Kirwin. “It’s a confidence builder. Trainer Enhancement is helping me to improve my skills in the field and in the classroom. It is enhancing my teamwork skills and allows me to offer more to Local 6 and to our apprentices.”
Local 32 Training Coordinator Derek Vergari was in the Labor History class, the fifth and final installment of Trainer Enhancement program. He recommends the course to all union members wishing to expand their horizons. “The fifth-year program shifted focus from how to be a better educator to topics needed to be taught to become a better union member,” he said.
“This course has helped me realize what is important to share with our members and with our apprentices to restore our union to the proud stature from whence it came.”
According to Local 17 Training Coordinator and Teaching Techniques III Instructor Bob McGuckin, the Trainer Enhancement program has benefitted Local 17.
“Our Local continues to see the benefits the Instructor Enhancement class provides to our instructors, and that translates to better training back at our JATC,” he said.
“Having six previous graduates and five current students in the program has elevated our Local training program to a level I never thought possible.”
“We are Insulators, not teachers, and this program has given members who want to give back to the Local, needed teaching tools,” he added.
For Kirwin, there is a major benefit to learning from other instructors. “I am looking forward to completing the future classes and continuing to develop, so I can continue my dedication and progression with the Local 6 JATC,” he said. “This class is giving me the skills, ability and assets to do so.”
Local 50 Instructor Todd Hinty, who primarily teaches second-year apprentices, found attendees and instructors extremely helpful. “All of us are working together,” Hinty said.
“We had a Teaching Techniques III student stop in to see if anyone needed help and the first couple days, I was getting the help. It’s a full circle of Brotherhood and Unionism I never expected.”
“Not only am I learning from the class, but also from the other Local Instructors. I am going home with the class experience, notes I took and knowing I can rely on my fellow Brothers from around the U.S. and Canada to elevate my teaching,” he added.
Local 5 Business Agent Vidal Arce teaches the PCCC and the COMET Classes for journeymen and apprentices. He recommends more officers take the Trainer Enhancement program, as it will help them understand membership and represent members to the best of their abilities.
“As a Business Agent, it gives me the opportunity to understand how the instructors are teaching in the classroom in case any members have questions,” he said. “It is wonderful training, which positions me to be a better asset for the Local.”
The IIIATF thanks the instructors who taught and aided our instructors during the Trainer Enhancement Program – Teaching Techniques I: Elise Bryant, Tina Davis and Local 2 Instructor Tom Mulholland; Teaching Techniques II: Sarah Levesque and Lynn Marie Smith; Teaching Techniques III: Local 17 Training Coordinator Bob McGuckin and Sam Kirkland; Teaching Techniques IV: Ken Kroeger and Skip Turner; and Labor History: Greg Giebel.
Congratulations to the following Brothers and Sisters who completed 2019 Trainer Enhancement levels:
Teaching Techniques I: Ryan Duessel from Local 2; Vidal Arce, Raymond Chavarria, Luis Herrera and Brent Larkey from Local 5; Robert Bauer from Local 8; Casey Ackler, Edward Krawczyk and Michael Mustaro from Local 14; Miguel Navarro and Joshua Periera from Local 16; Kellon Fisk from Local 17; Eliseo Aleman from Local 19; Edwin Recinos from Local 24; Chris Swearingen from Local 36; Jon Schutz from Local 38; Brandon Shammo from Local 45; Dustin Collins and Todd Hinty from Local 50; Justin Diddle from Local 80; Joseph (Alyre) Malley from Local 116; Dylan Teeples from Local 127; and Michael VanCompernolle from Local 135.
Teaching Techniques II: Daniel Kirwin from Local 6; Sam Tafolla from Local 7; Ben Plachy from Local 17; Austin Boone from Local 18; Ricky Miguez from Local 22; James Payne from Local 23; Gustavo Rodriguez-Olvera from Local 27; Lorenzo Tesoriero from Local 30; Dave Gamble from Local 36; Bruce Hankle from Local 40; Ryan Webb from Local 45; Barry Kauffman from Local 46; Gustavo Machigua from Local 53; Durward Fleming from Local 55; Jacob Walker from Local 67; Sabino Arciga from Local 69; Jon Dagnillo and Chris Thompson from Local 74; Andrew Richman from Local 82; Joe Torretta from Local 89; Buddy Coryea from Local 92; and Phil Poirier from Local 110.
Teaching Techniques III: John Surtz from Local 3; Alejandro Celedon from Local 5; Jonathon Hughes from Local 8; William Hamman and Anthony Viscuso from Local 16; Nick Feipel and Todd Javorski from Local 17; Jacob Rainey from Local 23; Kyle Becker from Local 46; Steve Thompson from Local 92; Robert Sheck from Local 118; Jacob Countryman from Local 127; Joshua Sherrard from Local 131; and Anthony Schauer and Clay Starck from Local 133.
Teaching Techniques IV: Travis Lopez and Daniel Ruiz from Local 5; Mike Nettekoven from Local 7; Kevin Clark from Local 17; Robert Swords, II from Local 18; Brent Palko and Jason Springer from Local 23; James Hoos and Cody Pugh from Local 24; Scott Coghlan from Local 28; Andrew Kurowski from Local 30; Robert Vaught IV from Local 37; Tammy Yarnell from Local 55; Mark Theiss from Local 80; Gabriel Vasquez from Local 87; Kale Alvarez from Local 132; and Michael Freidhof from Local 135.
Labor History: David Price from Local 18; Derek Vergari from Local 32; Caleb Cate from Local 73; William Holstein from Local 80; Joe Thomas from Local 86; and Bernard Alvarez from Local 132.