Training

About Our Training

No other organization serves the training needs of the piping industry like the United Association and the Plumbers and Pipefitters of Local 525 in Las Vegas, NV. For over a century, the UA has been training the most highly-qualified workers in the United States and Canada.

Over the past several decades, the United Association's training programs have produced a stable, skilled workforce responsible for building and maintaining piping systems in the various industrial and residential facilities that make up the North American landscape.

No one can match the commitment or investment. The UA, Int'l spends over $140 million annually on training programs efforts involving approximately 100,000 journeymen and apprentices in over 400 local training facilities at any given time.

If the United Association wanted to select the area which best reflects this commitment to the training and excellence produced, it could well look to the state of Nevada.

In addition to our five-year apprenticeship programs, UA Local 525 offers continuing education opportunities that includes journeymen training and certification, as well as an associate’s degree program.  The following is a basic description of each of our training sectors.

Quality Pipefitters

Local 525 Pipefitters are the best in the business when it comes to the installation and repair of both high and low pressure pipe systems that are used in manufacturing, in the generation of electricity and in the heating and cooling of buildings. They also install automatic controls that are increasingly being used to regulate these systems.

Professionals in the HVAC and refrigeration industry understand that excellence is achieved through knowledge, experience, and a strong work ethic. Excellence creates value because a job well done prevents costly downtime for customers and saves their reputation from being damaged. Inferior HVAC and refrigeration service and installation can also threaten public safety. This is why Local Union 525, together with it's signatory contractors, is committed to providing quality service through superior training.

Testing and troubleshooting steam and hydronic systems; boiler installation and controls; Customer Service/Safety: Interpersonal and communication skills; project management: health and safety codes; Plumbing Code; Mechanical Code; Fire Protection Code; chemical safety; hazard communications; CPR & first aid

Quality Plumbers

Our contractors and craftsmen provide quality installation, service and repair of commercial and residential plumbing systems. We build and service plumbing systems that deliver pure drinking water, and safe sanitary plumbing systems. We service and install water and gas piping systems and fixtures in homes, commercial enterprises and other institutions.

Our dedication to high standards, knowledge of the latest materials and compliance with building and safety codes means we build quality and value into every job. Our craftsman receive thousands of hours of classroom instruction and hand-on training at our state-of-the-art facility. They begin with a comprehensive five-year apprenticeship. And then they upgrade their skills with journeyman training throughout their careers.

The members of Local 525 fully support the highest standards in the industry. That includes mastering the latest materials and techniques, as well as in-depth knowledge of regulations like the Uniform Plumbing Code. We're dedicated to ensuring public health and safety through using the proper procedures and complying with all applicable codes.

We protect your investment in a home or business. Our customers have the peace of mind that comes with knowing the job is done right. Nobody else has the depth of experience that allows us to tackle any job, big or small. From plumbing in single-family homes, to multifamily residential structures, to comprehensive construction or tenant improvement projects for business.

Quality Service Technicians

Professionals in the HVAC and refrigeration industry understand that excellence is achieved through knowledge, experience, and a strong work ethic. Excellence creates value because a job well done prevents costly downtime for customers and saves their reputation from being damaged. Inferior HVAC and refrigeration service and installation can also threaten public safety. This is why Local Union 525, together with it's signatory contractors, is committed to providing quality service through superior training.

Over the last twenty years, a substantial increase in the number of nonunion air conditioning and refrigeration contractors has unleashed a fierce and destructive level of competition on the entire industry. Today, consolidated HVAC-R contractors and utility subsidiaries entering into non-regulated markets have acted to perpetuate this problem. As a result, the growing trend in the industry has been to repeal and reverse many of the rights and benefits workers now depend upon. Even the most principled nonunion contractors have been forced to succumb to these competitive forces that reward cut-throat bidding, degrading industry standards, and outright cheating.

Some of the more dubious nonunion contractors claim to share company decision making with their mechanics, creating the illusion of a democratic work environment and leaving the workers with a false sense of security. But the fact remains, unless you are working for under a collective bargaining agreement your employment relationship with your contractor can change without notice! With your support we can promote an industry where workers have a voice, and progressive labor / management relations are once again honored.