BAC Members Pursue Career Advancement Opportunities at the International Training Center This Winter

With the start of the new year, the BAC/IMI International Training Center welcomed hundreds of BAC members determined to continue their education and advance their careers. Classes this winter ranged from refractory to historic masonry preservation, welding, and more, giving students from across the country the opportunity to upgrade their skills in different aspects of their trade.

REFRACTORY STUDENTS LOOK TO BUILD THEIR SKILL SETS

In February, refractory instructors Corey Worthen and James Zubel welcomed a group of students eager to learn the specialized craft.

James Mayhugh, a bricklayer from BAC Local 4 Indiana/Kentucky, is one such student. Mayhugh’s passion for his career is driven by his dedication to support his family. “Everyone who knows me knows I do everything I can for my children,” he said, “I want to be able to give them everything I lacked as a child.”

Mayhugh signed up for the course at the encouragement of the safety director at his company, BAC signatory contractor Heimbrock Inc. The company “told me it would open more doors for me. I jumped at the opportunity,” he explained.

Instructor Worthen shared with the students how lucrative a career in the refractory industry can be, and the opportunities it presents for travel. “Having this skill set in addition to your main craft allows you to get outside of your local and find work with more hours. Plus, the money is great,” he said. “I’ve never believed in being a one trick pony. Having your hands in multiple pots is what has kept my career going for almost fifty years.”

CROSS-TRAINING FOR RESILIENCY

Abbey Formica of BAC Local 5 Pennsylvania shares Worthen’s philosophy on continuing to learn to be more marketable. She’s always looking for new ways to diversify her skill set and her employability. Formica recently joined a bustling welding class led by instructor Kay Whigan. “Throughout my fifteen-year career, I’ve cross trained in PCC, terrazzo, tile, and brick. I’ve had my eye on Kay’s welding class for a while,” she said.

The key to a successful career, according to Formica? Curiosity. “There’s always something new to be learned. Thankfully, our union provides us with opportunities to be wildly curious. I’m grateful to be able to come to the International Training Center to explore those curiosities.”

The International Training Center’s welding class consistently remains in high demand amongst BAC craftworkers. “As an instructor, my students are trusting that I’ll give them the tools that they need to have a great career,” shared International Training Center instructor Kay Whigan as he prepared to do a demonstration for his class. “I haven’t let anyone down yet!” Students who take the course have the opportunity to earn their welding certification, a credential that can help make them more desired by employers.

PRESERVING HISTORIC BUILDINGS

Across the training floor, students taking IMI’s popular Historic Masonry Preservation Certificate Program (HMPC) practiced stone patching and carving techniques – just a sampling of the critical restoration skills covered during the weeklong class.

Casey Weisdock, IMI Director of Industry Development and Technical Services, and Pete Kohl, IMTEF National Training Center Coordinator, led a very diverse group of students through the course. “Our classes are always full of determined people who genuinely love the craft,” said Kohl.

James Mayse, PCC instructor from BAC Local 3 California, continues to set an example on the importance of continuing education by signing up for the class. “I joined the BAC in 1984. The union has given so much to me that I wanted to give back by coming here, learning more about historic preservation, and taking the knowledge back to my local,” he said.

For Clifton Bradshaw, a third-year PCC apprentice from BAC Local 3 New York, taking HMPC represented an important next step in mastering his craft. “It’s important for me to know the ins and outs of my trade, including how to preserve the masonry buildings we work on.” Bradshaw credited the instructors he’s had throughout his career thus far for helping him advance his skills. “Belonging to this union means we’ll always have that support to succeed,” he said.

Weisdock explained the value of this training for BAC craftworkers performing restoration work. “The content provides critical insight into the bigger picture of why we treat historical masonry buildings and sites differently than other types of existing buildings. The program elevates the craftworkers’ skills and raises the bar for masonry restoration.” HMPC, like many other IMI certificate and upgrade training programs, frequently shows up in project specifications, giving BAC signatory contractors a leg up in bidding and winning the work.

Advanced and specialty classes like HMPC, welding, and refractory are a big part of what makes BAC members the best hands in the business. Mayhugh, Formica, Mayse, Bradshaw, and their classmates enjoyed a morale boost when BAC President Tim Driscoll and Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Sullivan paid a visit to the training center in recognition of their dedication to the craft.

“When I was younger, I didn’t realize all the opportunities at my disposal here at the International Training Center,” said Mayse. “Meeting Tim and Jerry today made we wish I started coming here every year at the start of my career!”

If you’re interested in advancing your career by pursuing continuing education opportunities at the BAC/IMI International Training Center, visit imtef.org/calendar to learn about upcoming classes and for more information on how to enroll.