International Training Fund

The International Training Fund ("ITF") is a jointly administered Taft-Hartley Trust, which is funded through contributions called for by collective bargaining agreements with the United Association or one of its constituent Local Unions. The ITF's participants are the majority of the 340,000 skilled pipe trades workers represented by the UA in the Plumbing, Pipefitting, HVACR, Sprinkler Fitting, and Service Technicians fields. Working in close conjunction with the UA's Training Department as well as various employer associations, the ITF seeks to insure that there is adequate funding for various initiatives and programs that benefit the UA's members, its signatory contractors and owners. The programs funded in whole or in part by the ITF include:

• Instructor Training Program: The United Association has developed a well-respected and highly-effective college accredited program of instructor education consisting of five one-week sessions over a period of five years which dates back to 1954.
• Certification Programs: The United Association provides certifications that guarantee our contractors and users that the craftsmen they hire have been tested and meet the highest standard of our industry.
• Technical & Equipment Support: The UA provides local unions and their members a vast resource of technical support personnel and training equipment.
• Accelerated Welder Training Program: The UA Welder Training Program is a voluntary educational program. Training is provided to the students at no cost. The welder training program is approximately 18 weeks in duration, consisting of 40-hour weeks and 8 hour days.
• College Degree Program: All UA members are eligible to earn college degrees as part of their training. Members can choose from a wide variety of degrees, ranging from an Associate Degree to Bachelor of Science Degree.
  • Construction Supervision: UA members who wish to move into a construction management position.
  • Industrial Training: UA Instructors who teach and are looking for a AAS degree in Industrial Training
  • Journeyworker Industrial: UA members who want to pursue college credit in areas that augment or complement current trade related expertise.
  • Environmental Technology: UA HVACR Service Technician

The ITF also assists the UA in maintaining its commitment to provide training and education to all of its members, journeyworker and apprentice alike, that is second to none, by providing Local JATCs with cash and or material grants so that their training facilities will contain state of the art equipment and facilities. These local apprenticeship and training programs, utilizing over 350 training centers, graduate on average over 5,500 highly skilled apprentices and help to provide continuing education to the UA's journeyworkers.

For the benefit of its participants, the ITF and all of the UA apprenticeship JATC's collectively spend over $220 million in the operation of training and education programs.