YPSILANTI - Every August for the last 13 years, more than 1,800 United Association of Plumbers, Pipe Fitters and Sprinkler Fitters members from across the U.S. and Canada have flocked to facilities at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) during the week-long Instructors Training Program.

Beginning this year, the campus facilities are getting bigger and better, as many of the functions for the annual training program - as well as some new features - will be made a permanent fixture at the school, housed in a 20,000-square-foot addition that is now under construction.

Substantial construction began at the end of November, "and we have be ready by July 25 for the big jamboree," said Wally Whims, who is running the project for general contractor J.M. Olsen. He was referring to having the facility up and running in time for the next UA Training Program.

Dubbed the Great Lakes Regional Training Center, the $4.2 million, 22,000 square-foot facility will become the centerpiece of the UA's growing distance learning program, which currently links more than 100 apprenticeship schools in North America. It will contain three heavy equipment labs, computer labs equipped with the latest technology, UA offices and classroom space.

"We've built a strong and lasting partnership with the UA," said WCC President Larry Whitworth. "To my knowledge, it's the only one of its kind in this country among the skilled trades. The UA places a tremendous value on continuing education for its members, and commits a great deal of effort and expense to keeping them aligned with emerging technology. WCC is extremely proud to help in that effort."

The new regional training site will be one of five located across the country. It will augment, but not replace, the instructor training program.

The plumbing foreman on the project for Allor Mechanical is Steve Carson of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 190. He said the trickiest part of the job has been to tap into the mechanical equipment in the existing building. Numerous holes have been cut though existing classroom block walls and pipes have been routed through the ceilings of various rooms and hallways "We've been directed not to interfere with any of the activities of the school or cut off the heat or the water, but it's not always easy," Carson said. "So right now, at this time of year, we figured we'd be pretty safe if we put the chillers in."

THE UNITED ASSOCIATION of Plumbers, Pipe Fitters and Sprinkler Fitters will be utilizing their new Regional Training Facility in Ypsilanti by next August - but first, UA members and the other building trades will have to build it.

PLUMBING AND HEATING foremen Mark Weber, left, and Steve Carson of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters 190 and Allor Mechanical start to lay out rough plumbing in the Regional Training Center.