WCC celebrates 35 year partnership with the UA

Yana McGuire

Staff Writer 

This year’s annual Instructor Training Program (ITP) marks 35 years of partnership between WCC and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA). ITP is a one week college-accredited training session for skilled UA apprenticeship instructors over the course of five years. The attendance rate increases 10 to 15 percent each year and brings in around 20 million dollars to the city of Ann Arbor.

Under the leadership of Gunder Myran, President of WCC from 1975 to 1998, the UA decided to make WCC its home for hosting the annual event. 

“In 1990, the UA left Purdue and came to WCC primarily because of the technical classrooms we have and our commitment to building trade union labor,” Dr. Marilyn Donham, Dean of Apprenticeship and Skilled Trades Training states.

She continues, “We do the work out of this [UA] office, but without the support of President Bellanca and hundreds of employees here on campus these programs would never be a success.”

Data collected by the UA program department at WCC shows that during this year’s training session every available classroom in every building on campus accommodated 132 different courses that were offered. Over 300 instructors conducted hands-on training to 2,300 national and international students. 

“The point of the instructor training is to disseminate quality training throughout the entire union and its membership. The instructors who come here to take classes go back to the locals [unions], and teach apprentices so they can hand down the highest quality [of] current training,” Donham said. 

UA apprentice members also have the opportunity to use their membership and ITP training as credited hours towards obtaining a college degree, according to Manager of UA Programs Kandi Jurek.

WCC offers three degree programs that lead to an associate in applied science to further help advance one’s career. These programs are also a part of the 3+1 articulation agreements allowing students to transfer to a four-year college to obtain their bachelors. 

“This is definitely the quickest way, and it is very financially feasible by coming here, because our tuition is so low compared to other schools,” Jurek said. 

Having used the program to obtain his own college degree, Tony Esposito, the Technical Director of UA Programs and Services, agrees with Jurek, stating that with his apprenticeship he realized that he was already “60 percent” of the way to where he needed to be to get a management degree. The multiple online courses available make it even easier for students to attend classes needed.

In one of the major highlights of the week, U.S. Secretary of Energy and former Governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm visited WCC and spoke to attendees on Industrial Day about the current state of construction trades. 

According to MLive, Granholm stated that “Michigan has got its own industrial revolution. We’ve got 54 factories that have been announced just in the past two and a half years in the clean energy space alone, meaning that all these factories for EVs, for batteries, you name it, are being built here, putting people to work.” These new jobs will take skilled workers, which is why the ITP is a key step to success.

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