Trades
IUPAT District Council 10 represents the interests of several diverse trades within the finishing industries as well as service oriented businesses.
Our focus is on those trades that “complete the build” of construction projects large and small alike with a robust membership of Painters, both Commercial and Industrial, Drywall Finishers, Glaziers and Floor Layers.
We also lead the way in Trade Show exhibitions with some of the largest groups of Trade Show Decorators and Exhibit Builders in North America, as well as represent a great group of Paint Makers that create industry leading coatings that are used on the highest profile projects around the world.
Drywall Finisher
Drywall finishers (or tapers) prepare unfinished interior drywall panels for painting by taping and finishing joints and imperfections.
Drywall consists of a thin layer of gypsum between two layers of heavy paper; it is used on walls and ceilings in most buildings today because it is faster to apply than plaster and gives a professional finish when completed. Using the wide, flat tip of a special trowel, drywall finishers spread joint compound into and along each side of the joint between two hung drywall panels and use a paper tape to cover the seams between panels, resulting in a uniform and almost perfect surface.
When a high level of finish is required, they may also apply two more coats of compound, each of which is sanded to make it smooth. Drywall tapers may use automatic tools to apply tape and compound in one step, as well as spray guns to apply decorative, textured surfaces.
Drywall tapers need good vision, manual dexterity and attention to detail. According to the Occupational Information Network (ONET), they should also have a tolerance for prolonged standing, bending and stretching.
Most drywall installation and finishing are completed indoors, so these workers rarely lose time because of inclement weather.
Painters
Painters apply decorative and protective finishes in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial settings. They prepare a variety of surfaces (wood, masonry, drywall, plaster, concrete, synthetics, stucco and metal) prior to the application of materials such as paint, high performance coatings, waterproofing, fireproofing, varnish, shellac, wall coverings and special decorative finishes.
Painters are employed by construction companies, painting contractors, building maintenance contractors, or are self-employed. They work on projects such as home interiors and exteriors, residential high rises, wall covering work, industrial tanks and plants, bridges, airports, institutions, marine and offshore projects, and other commercial and industrial projects. Some Painters may work for years on a single site; others may work for contractors that rarely work on the same site more than once.
Painters must have an eye for detail, the ability to plan work, and knowledge of many types of finishes, their properties and their applications. They must be able to calculate areas and relate such calculations to required material. Good communications and customer service skills are required by Painters who often interact with home/business owners, contractors, interior designers and architects.
Glazier
An Architectural Glass and Metal technician, called a Glazier, is responsible for selecting, cutting, installing, replacing, and removing all types of glass. Work in the glazing field includes both residential and commercial projects. Residential projects may include replacing a home's window glass to improve energy efficiency, installing glass mirrors, shower doors and fitting glass for tabletops and display cases. Commercial interior glazing projects include installing items such as heavy, decorative room dividers or security windows. Other glazing projects may involve replacing storefront windows for establishments such as supermarkets, auto dealerships or banks. In the construction of large commercial buildings, glaziers build metal framework extrusions and install glass panels or curtain walls.
Skills needed to become a Glazier include manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, and a good sense of balance. The ability to solve arithmetic problems quickly and accurately also is required.
Employment in the glazing trade is less seasonal than in most of the construction occupations. Such activities as replacing broken glass, making shower doors, and cutting glass for store cabinets and fixtures provide work through the year. Employment in retail outlets also tends to be stable.
Trade Show
Tradeshow workers move and handle freight, rig equipment, and set up and dismantle exhibits and modular systems. Typical job tasks include rigging and hanging signs, installing and removing carpet, as well as installing pipe & drapes and fulfilling the general decorating requirements of the exhibitors. Work is normally found in convention centers and hotels where tradeshows take place. Tradeshow workers will transform an empty facility into a full show presentation in a relatively short span of time. The work is physically demanding and mentally challenging. It requires the ability to lift very heavy objects, climb ladders, or work on or low to the ground. The Tradeshow worker will have in his/her tool box, tools such as a claw hammer diagonal or side cutters, pliers, a work apron with pockets, or a tool belt with a pouch; a rug cutter, a metric & standard Allen wrench set, a Philips screwdriver, chalk line, a 6" to 10" Crescent wrench, a small pry bar (“Wonder" or Flat Bar), a sharp pocket knife, a 30' tape measure, and a staple gun or any other tools designated by the exhibitor.
Industrial Coating & Lining Application Specialist (CAS)
Industrial Coating and Lining Application Specialists apply techniques to prepare substrates for coating and lining application. Techniques may include removal of rust, mill scale and previously applied hazardous coatings utilizing industry‐specific tools and techniques. Industrial Coating and Lining Application Specialists apply/install protective coatings and linings to steel and concrete on complex structures, such as bridges and towers; waterfront structures, such as locks and dam, ship hulls, offshore platforms, bulkheads, and piers; metal and manufacturing facilities; chemical and processing facilities (e.g. food processing; pulp and paper mills; food and beverage plants; water and wastewater processing facilities); and conventional and nuclear power generation facilities.
By the nature of their work, Industrial Coating and Lining Application Specialists often work in dangerous environments such as bridges high over waterways, other highways or railroads, or in confined spaces such as shipboard spaces, small vessels or storage tanks. Because of this, Industrial Coating and Lining Application Specialists are required to receive more specialized training in health and safety due to the hazards associated with their work.
In today's environmentally‐conscious culture, the Industrial Coating and Lining Application Specialist must also be careful to protect the environment surrounding the work site to ensure that hazardous debris such as lead‐based paint and abrasive blasting media is properly contained and disposed of according to stringent federal, state and local regulations. This often requires the rigging of intricate containment systems and work platforms.
Students will learn to apply their theoretical knowledge and skills to the corrosion protection of steel and concrete on complex industrial structures through course work in Health and Safety Awareness for Application Specialists, surface preparation and coating materials properties, and application. Specialty application course work in plural component and thermal spray will further assist students in expanding their skills. Students will have their capabilities verified thru the IUPAT/FTI Industrial Coating and Lining Application Specialist Certification Program.
The objective of the Certification Program is to determine, through proctored written and practical examination, whether an individual craft worker has the skill and knowledge to perform quality surface preparation and protective coatings application. The ICLAS program meets this need and provides criteria for the education, training, experience, knowledge, and motor skills required to prepare and apply protective coatings to steel and concrete surfaces of complex industrial and marine structures.
This training and certification has been designed to meet the requirements for a Level II certified Coating and Lining Application Specialist set forth in the Body of Knowledge contained within the SSPC ACS 1/NACE No.13 Joint Standard and in accordance with ISO 17024. Students shall be required to maintain their Qualifications per the requirements set forth in the SSPC ACS 1/NACE No.13 Joint Standard.
Phone: 346-226-6211 or 6212
Fax: 844-624-5116
E-mail: apprenticeship@iupatdc88.com