St. Paul Pipefitters Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee   

Pipefitters install, maintain, and repair high and low pressure steam systems, high and low pressure hot water systems, snow melting systems, refrigeration systems, heating, gas and oil piping, pneumatic, electronic controls, air conditioning and also provide instrumentation and valve repair. 　 These skills are used working in residential, commercial, and industrial installations. 　 These systems are installed in all types of weather conditions.

Pipefitters, Steamfitters, and HVACR Technicians work in all aspects of the heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and temperature control fields. 　We are also employed at oil refineries, chemical plants, food processing facilities, manufacturing plants, retail and wholesale food stores, and ice rinks.

We also have maintenance pipefitters working at the University of Minnesota, Saint Paul School District, Metropolitan Council, Imation, Saint Paul Government Center, and Energy Park.

We have pipefitters installing and maintaining refrigeration trucks, trailers, and buses at Thermo King Sales and Service.

Applicants must be high school graduates or the equivalent and should enjoy working in a demanding trade that requires both mental alertness and physical stamina. Pipefitters do a lot of heavy lifting and are required to work both indoors and outside, often times in confined spaces.

A career as a Pipefitter/Steamfitter begins with training in a pre-apprentice program. Pipefitting is a full-time, day-school program for one semester and starts fall and spring semesters at Saint Paul College—A Community & Technical College located near downtown Saint Paul at 235 Marshall Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota. All tuition, books, and fees are the responsibility of the student for the duration of the program. Tuition is regulated by and paid to Saint Paul College.

In order to be considered for the Pipefitting (pre-apprentice program), applicants must take the Accuplacer assessment used at Saint Paul College to assess skills in reading, math, and spatial (mechanical) aptitude. The assessment is offered on a walk-in basis between the hours of 9:00 a.m.-6:30　p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Fridays. For more information on the assessment process, you may visit the College’s website at http://www.saintpaul.edu/admissions/assessment/

Applicants with scores of 70% or better on each of the exercises will be referred to the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC). This is the only way applications will be considered for the Pipefitting program.

The completed assessment and application must be received by October 31 to be considered for spring semester and by April 30 for fall semester. The JATC will select the students by an interview process conducted twice a year. Applicants will receive a letter from the JATC with scheduled times and dates of the interviews. Students accepted to the Pipefitting program will be notified by the College and scheduled for a College orientation.

Students successfully completing the Pipefitting program will achieve their apprentice status and will be on a six-month probation period. After this probation, he will proceed to the five-year, apprenticeship program. Wages start at 50% of Journeyman rates with 100% of the non-taxable benefit package. (The current Journeyman wage is $36.41 per hour with a $19.73 per hour fringe benefit package.) Wages increase by 10% as the student successfully completes each year of his apprenticeship.

The Apprenticeship Program consists of two nights a week during the regular school year, from late August to mid-May. Minimum GPA and attendance requirements must be met for completion of each year of the Apprenticeship Program. The Apprenticeship Program consists of aggressive training in a wide variety of areas necessary to become a successful Journeyman Pipefitter. Building Trades training involves welding, blueprint reading, OSHA training, rigging, industrial refrigeration, high and low pressure steam, hot water heating, and basic electricity to name a few. The Service training includes extensive electrical training, refrigeration, OSHA, computer, digital controls, and a variety of boiler training among many others. The first four years are a combination of information and hands-on training to prepare for the fifth and final year of the program.

The fifth year of the program is preparation and testing for city and state licenses required to perform the work of a Pipefitter in this area. Upon successful completion of the five-year, apprenticeship program, Journeyman status is achieved.

For more information, please call the St. Paul Pipefitters Joint Apprenticeship Training office at 651-846-1699. Check out our website at www.local455jatc.com

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