Apprenticeship Announcement
Date of this notice: January 1, 2022
This Public Notice is to inform you that when the Oregon/SW Washington Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) is accepting applications it will be posted on the front page of this website. When it is open, you are welcome to apply below.
Heat and Frost Insulator. to apply
Geographical Area
This is the area in which employers that participate in this program are located: State of Oregon and the counties of Clark, Klickitat, Skamania, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum in the State of Washington.
Apprenticeship Program
The Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union is committed to providing an adequate supply of trained insulation mechanics with the competitive skills necessary to meet industry needs now and in the future.
The goal of the apprentice program is to provide the highest level of training to apprentices, in order that they may assume positions as fully-qualified journeymen ready to meet the professional challenges of the insulation industry.
The program is structured for entry-level workers, as well as for insulation workers already employed within the industry who wish to upgrade their skills and to advance to journeyman status, at the same time benefiting from membership in the Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union.
The apprenticeship program emphasizes on-the-job training and classroom instruction, as well as the use of textbooks and other course materials that give participants a thorough knowledge of the trade.
As an apprentice, you will be assigned to work for an insulation contractor. During your apprenticeship, you will work side by side with experienced journeymen who understand the practical application and theory.
As you progress through each year of the program, the tasks you are assigned will become more complicated and your work will require less supervision. Gradually, your sense of pride, independence and self-confidence will grow as you accomplish increasingly difficult tasks with less assistance and instruction.
In addition, your earnings will be adjusted upward each year to reflect your advancing skills and increasing knowledge of the trade. The average starting wage for 1st year apprentices is 50% of the mechanics wage rate plus fringe benefits. In recent years, unionized insulation mechanics earned average wages of more then $50 per hour plus health insurance and pension plans.
When you are not at the jobsite, you will be attending classes taught by highly qualified instructors chosen for their extensive knowledge and expertise.
Upon completion of your apprenticeship, you will take an examination to demonstrate your mastery of the knowledge and skills you’ve been taught. Passage of this test is necessary to obtain journeyman status.
This is the apprenticeship experience, “practical – hands on” learning, backed up by excellent classroom instruction and course materials. And you won’t have to wait to complete your training to begin earning a living. You will earn while you learn, placing you on an immediate path toward economic security and stability.
Qualifications for Apprenticeship
The Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union is seeking individuals who meet the basic qualifications for apprenticeship: persons who are 18 years of age preferably with a high school education or GED equivalent, and provide transcripts or GED test scores. Required documentation must be submitted within 90 days of application.
NOTE: All applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be notified by mail of an interview with the apprenticeship selection committee. Those applicants selected for the eligibility list will be required to be capable of lifting 50 pounds from the floor and carrying it 50 feet.
Applicants are not required to have taken specific high school courses; however, course in woodworking and mechanical drawing provide a strong educational foundation for insulation work. Algebra and geometry courses are excellent preparation for learning to read blueprints. A general science or physics course will enhance your understanding of how heat and sound are conducted.
In addition to these basic qualifications, the Union is seeking candidates who have a desire to learn and progress, who take pride in true craftsmanship, and who will experience life-long satisfaction in doing a job well.
If you are such an individual, membership in the Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union may be the most intelligent career choice you can make, a decision that offers a lifetime of personal and professional fulfillment.
As you make your decision, consider carefully the career advantages and opportunities available to you in the unionized sector of the insulation industry.
You will be a partner in one of the most dynamic and fastest growing industries in America, one that has always provided an excellent income and has an outstanding record of steady employment. You will have highly-specialized training and skills that will be in great demand for many years to come.
And you will have the support and representation of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers – an organization dedicated to ensuring the health, safety and economic well-being of its workers and whose members have a distinguished reputation within the construction industry.
The Union looks forward to what you, as a qualified candidate for apprenticeship, have to offer to the insulation industry. In return, we offer you the opportunity to earn, learn and advance as a fully-trained insulation mechanic. to apply
Description of Work
6,800 hours (approx. 4 years) on-the-job training will be required to complete this program. Heat and frost Insulators install thermal insulation and protective finishes to a variety of mechanical systems. These systems include piping, boilers, and heating & air conditioning systems. Heat and Frost Insulators also apply a number of protective coatings to insulation materials such as mastics, plastics, aluminum and stainless steel. Workers must have a thorough knowledge of heat transfer, condensation control, and insulation materials.
The work is done both indoors and outdoors around equipment that ranges from 200 degrees below zero to 1600 degrees above. This equipment creates extreme hot and cold temperatures. Much of the work is done from scaffolding, ladders, and mechanical lifts. Hazards include exposure to dusts and fumes. Workers in this trade must be prepared to travel to work sites in Oregon and SW Washington utilizing their own transportation.
Work Processes
The work processes to be learned and the approximate hours required for each are:
a. Piping Insulation 2,000 hours
b. HVAC Insulation 1,600 hours
c. Tank and Vessel Insulation 800 hours
d. Boiler and Related Component Insulation 800 hours
e. Mechanical Equipment Insulation 800 hours
f. Specialty Items 800 hours
TOTAL 6,800 hours
Related Training
Approximately 144 hours of related classroom training will be required each year including: Introduction; Use and care of tools; Material handling and identification; Thermal Insulation; Insulation material application; Protective coatings; finishes and jacketing fabrication and application; Blueprint and Spec reading; Mechanical system identification; Safety; and First Aid.
Classes are held at the Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local #36 Training Facility – Portland, Oregon. to apply
Wage Schedule
The average wage for those journeyman employed by the participating employers in this occupation is $54.42 per hour effective January 1, 2022 plus fringe benefits. Contact us for the current wage rate.
The progressive wage rate to be paid the Apprentice is:
1st and 2nd period 1,700 hours 45-50% of average wage
3rd and 4th period 1,700 hours 65% of average wage
4th and 5th period 1,700 hours 75% of average wage
7th and 8th period 1,700 hours 85% of average wage
back to apprenticeship description
Point Scoring System
Applicants will be ranked by the score developed from the following verifiable documentation:
School transcripts, course certificates, letters from employers on company letterhead, DD214, etc. and an oral interview conducted by the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee.
Contact Person
Dreng Espelien- Apprenticeship Coordinator
e-mail: coordinator@insulators36.org
Phone: (503) 255-5124
