Painters union briefs Boyd County on apprenticeship, training center and veteran entry paths

David Bland, political director for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, presented to Boyd County commissioners on training and workforce-development opportunities available through IUPAT.

Bland said IUPAT offers a ‘‘hard hat’’ program that allows veterans with an honorable discharge to pursue direct entry into union crafts within one year. He described the FTI training center (which he said is 96,000 square feet), apprenticeship schedules, an elevated-tank painting curriculum the training center is launching, and no-cost continuing-education offerings for public employees and contractors. Bland also noted the recent closure of the Job Corps site in Charleston, West Virginia, and said union-affiliated training and recruiting could help fill workforce gaps.

Bland referenced efforts to recruit more women into the trades and distributed folders with materials including lists of contractors, bid-criteria templates and promotional information. He offered to share flyers and digital materials for the county website and to help connect local contractors to union bidders when the county advertises projects.

Rodney Skaggs was named as the local rep serving the area covered by Bland's district council. Bland said the training center often provides lodging and a meal stipend for apprentices during class weeks and cited prior events (a coatings and corrosion expo) that drew public officials, contractors and hundreds of trainees.

The presentation was offered for informational purposes; commissioners thanked Bland for the materials and said they appreciated the offer to share resources.

What to watch: County staff and Bland agreed to exchange materials for public posting and recruitment; there was no formal action taken on training program funding at the meeting.