The Utah Plumbing and Heating Contractor’s Association (UPHCA) is pleased to sponsor the UPHCA Academy, an educational foundation established to further the plumbing trade in Utah. The Academy was launched in November 2023 and continues to be the premier training program and facility for the subcontractor specialty trades in Utah, located at 2824 S. Redwood Rd. in West Valley City, Utah.
“The UPHCA Academy’s goal is to educate and train individuals in the trades, transforming individuals into a journeyman or master plumber, without the high cost of a university or college degree,” said David Hill, Executive Director of the Academy. “The trades are an often-overlooked career pathway. Yet with the current housing and plumbing shortages in Utah, plumbing is a field that is already paying nearly four times the current minimum wage.”
The National Kitchen and Bath Association estimates that nearly 60,000 plumbers retire each year, with only 30,000 new apprentices entering the field. Hill says that the plumbing shortage hits home in Utah, which has a frighteningly high median age right now in the field. This shortage is what prompted the UPHCA to establish the Academy.
Since the opening of the Academy, many students from all over the state of Utah have already enrolled and are eager to improve their skill set and become journeymen plumbers. Training is available online, day or night, with labs and hands-on training onsite at the Academy. As an added benefit, students will learn while working and have a career to be proud of.
“We’re excited about training the next generation of plumbers who will earn licenses and develop lifelong skills that will provide a great standard of living,” says Eric Child, former president of the UPHCA. We’re equally excited about helping as many people as we can to learn skills and join the workforce as skilled tradespeople — from ex-military to refugees and those looking for a real career change.”
About the UPHCA
The UPHCA is the largest and only independent subcontractor association that represents the plumbing and HVAC industry in the state of Utah, lobbying before the state legislature and government regulatory agencies on behalf of the plumbing industry. The UPHCA association offers responsible stewardship of the industry it represents and excellent benefits to member companies. The UPHCA rolls out exciting initiatives to help member companies become more profitable and successful as a business entity. In addition, the association has an ongoing focus of continuing educational training and outreach, legislative/lobbying and safety in the workplace.
Learn More
For more information, call (801) 307-5500 or email Dave Hill, at dave@uphcaacademy.org. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook!
