On July 2, the United Association Veterans in Piping (UA VIP) program welcomed another class of transitioning active-duty service members to begin training for a future civilian career in the pipe trades at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Journeyman instructor Dave Gibson will teach the students in JBLM HVAC-R Class 30 through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on training.
UA VIP is a DOD SkillBridge program created to help active-duty service members smoothly transition out of the military and into civilian life.
Army Staff Sgt. Kristopher Carbine considered joining the UA VIP program 10 years ago when he was considering transitioning out of the military. He recently saw a big banner for the program near the airfield.
“I was attracted to the VIP program because it keeps me in my career field and the continued challenge of learning more about something I’ve always had an interest in,” Carbine said.
While in the program, Carbine is excited to learn the basic HVAC-R skills necessary to begin his journey as a service technician.
His goal for his time in the UA VIP program is to learn all he can to be prepared for the next step in his career.
Army Spc. Eli Verhulst discovered the UA VIP program through a friend and was instantly interested in the program because it offers a lot of training in a short period of time.
Verhulst is excited to learn as much as he can during his time in the program.
“My goal for my time in the program is to try my absolute best and learn what I can from this program,” he said.
When he begins his UA apprenticeship program, he said he will apply what he learned to real-world situations.
The UA VIP program offers training in welding, HVAC-R and fire suppression at the following seven military bases:
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord (welding and HVAC-R)
- Camp Pendleton (welding)
- Fort Carson (welding)
- Fort Cavazos (welding)
- Camp Lejeune (welding)
- Fort Campbell (welding and fire suppression)
- Naval Station Norfolk (HVAC-R)
Additional UA VIP information
For 118 days, HVAC-R Class 30 students will learn the fundamentals of installation and maintenance of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
Students will have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications by the time they graduate from the program.
After graduating from the UA VIP program and transitioning out of the military, students will be placed into a DOL-registered UA apprenticeship program at an agreed-upon location with guaranteed job placement.
As an apprentice, VIP graduates will earn a livable wage and receive quality benefits such as healthcare and retirement benefits.
After completing the apprenticeship program, VIP graduates will become UA journeymen. Achieving journeyman status will open up doors to even more opportunities for career advancement.
Any active-duty service members in their last six months of service are encouraged to visit the UA VIP website for more information.
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