The newly opened, state-of-the-art Middle
Tennessee Carpenter and Millwright Training Center in La Vergne,
Tennessee is operating on all cylinders to accommodate the skilled
workforce needs of the Middle Tennessee construction industry. The
technologically advanced facility is housed in a 25,000-square-foot
structure built on four acres of land along Veterans Memorial Parkway,
near U.S. Hwy. 41, Murfreesboro Highway.
The
purpose of the $5 million facility is to address the area’s labor
shortage, as rapid growth continues in the Middle Tennessee region. The
facility is owned and operated by the Mid-South Carpenters Regional
Council Training Trust Fund (TTF). Training there is conducted for
professional carpenters and millwrights from the Southeastern Carpenters
Regional Council (SECRC), which operates Carpenters Local 223 and
Millwright Local 1554 out of the facility as well.
“This
facility will prepare the local workforce of construction industry
professionals with the skills to answer the call for professional
carpenters and millwrights on projects throughout Middle Tennessee,"
said Rickey Moore, Director of the TTF.
"This
facility is well-positioned to provide more jobs to LaVergne residents
and build long-term residency into the community," added Tom Jenkins,
Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the SECRC. ""They will also secure an
excellent quality of life for themselves and their families."
Training
is presented as part of the $250 million curriculum of the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters International Training Fund, of which the TTF
is affiliated. As a result, program participants will receive the best
technological, skills-based training for all aspects of the carpentry
and millwright trades. All equipment and instruction will be closely
regulated and monitored by the US Department of Labor and will abide by
all OSHA standards. In addition, customized training will be developed,
on-demand, to cater to what’s needed on job sites around the region.
Training capabilities include:
- Because
of COVID-19 and in response to the critical need to protect patients
and staff at healthcare facilities during construction work, there is a
mockup to hone skills in Construction ICRA (Infection Control Risk
Assessment).
- Scaffold training prepares carpenters for work in nuclear power plants.
- Two mechatronics/robot stations are used to train for automotive plant projects.
- Carpenter
Skills taught include all interior systems, including Metal Stud
Framing, Drywall, Finishing, and Doors and Hardware, Flooring, Heavy
Form / Concrete, Scaffolding, and Clean Room construction.
- A conveyor
instructional area trains on floor conveyor and power and free monorail
systems, which are used in many manufacturing processes such as
automotive and food and beverage.
- Millwright
coursework includes Compressors and Pumps, Conveyors , Flowserve. Gas
and Steam Turbine, Machinery Alignment, and Mechanical Print Reading.
- Eight clean-air welding booths with new welders.
- Safety training includes OSHA 10 and 30, Confined Space, Fall Protection, Hazard Communication, AED/First Aid.
- Soft-skill training is also offered on topics such as Leadership, Jobsite Communication and Human Performance
The
LaVergne training program is funded with private money from contractors
who employ those who train at the Center, meaning all of this is at no
cost to the taxpayer.
The
new training center replaces a 7,000-square-foot facility with 5,000
square feet of training space. By contrast, the new building consists of
20,000 square feet of training space and 5,000 square feet of office
and administrative areas.
