Plumbers & Pipefitters Apprenticeship Program Feeds Oil & Gas Industry

Local 396 Plumbers & Pipefitters has an apprenticeship program lasting five years. Once those five years are completed, apprentices transition into journeymen. But, they still have a lot to learn according to training director Richard Boyarko.

“We’ve got guys that have been journeymen for 30 years and they’re still learning everyday because the technology is continually advancing,” he says. “That’s why we try to keep up on the classes. We have journeymen that come back to renew their licensees and certifications and to get new ones.”

Last year, the program had 62 apprentices. This year that number has grown to 73. Boyarko says this is the highest number of apprentices they’ve had at one time. “We need the apprentices because we’ve got a lot of big projects going on,” he says.

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