Local Union 25 Hosts Signing Day, Reaches Record Number of Apprentices
Including this year’s incoming class, the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 25 recently hit a milestone with a record number of apprentices in their apprenticeship program. According to Training Coordinator Chuck McKnight, 215 individuals are currently pursuing careers as plumbers, pipefitters and HVACR service technicians.
The announcement comes on the heels of Local Union 25’s Signing Day in July, when more than 50 new apprentices were recognized for officially joining the program. Each Signing Day participant received a Local 25 shirt and hat, along with a stipend from the Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) to purchase safety-related work gear. But the most impressive part about becoming an apprentice is the equivalent of a $50,000 scholarship that spans the five-year program.
“Instead of paying for college with no guarantee of a job when they graduate, these men and women will earn a steady paycheck throughout their apprenticeship while learning the skills they need to succeed in their trade,” McKnight said. “As a local, we invest roughly $2 million into training each year, so our apprentices are getting a top-of-the-line education at no cost to them. But just like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. The Local Union 25 apprenticeship program is just the first step on a journey full of career opportunities.”
Local Union 25 began hosting their career Signing Day recognition event in 2019 to help celebrate the next generation of skilled trades professionals, similar to the idea of athletes signing letters of intent and committing to a sport.
“There tends to be this perception of the trades as a less-than career choice, and that’s simply not true,” McKnight said. “Becoming a qualified plumber, pipefitter or HVACR tech sets you up for a job that will always be in demand and high-paying, not to mention the benefits package that put you on the path to a comfortable retirement. The work of a skilled tradesperson is hard work but high reward, and is something we should encourage students to pursue who might be looking for an alternative to higher education.”
Local Union 25 is one of 22 local unions affiliated with the Tri-City Building Trades Council, which accepts hundreds of apprentices every year and put them to work at member contractors in the community. Throughout their five-year apprenticeship, Local Union 25 apprentices complete a minimum of 8,500 hours of on-the-job training and spend a minimum of 1,300 classroom hours to become among the safest, most qualified workforce in the community.