YPSILANTI - Every year in August, there's one location in the nation that's the center of the universe, so to speak, for education in the plumbing, pipe fitting and sprinkler industries.

This year, as it has for the last 13 years, Washtenaw Community College hosted the week-long, 49th annual Instructor Training Program for the United Association of Plumbers, Pipe Fitters and Sprinkler Fitters. This year, 1,777 pipe trades union instructors from across the U.S. and Canada descended on the campus from Aug. 10-16, absorbing lessons in everything from orbital tube welding to backflow repair and maintenance to how to develop a lesson plan.

"The continued growth of this program is an enormous inspiration to all of us who care so deeply about training," said UA General President Martin Maddaloni. "It is proof that the United Association truly supports training and understands that it is our instructors who carry the enormous responsibility for preparing each new generation of craftspeople."

Pipe trades instructors take the information they learn back to their home local unions and upgrade their own curriculums and methods of teaching. This year, there were 203 graduates of the five-year program - the largest graduating class ever.

"We're always happy to come back here to Washtenaw County," said UA Training Director George Bliss. "It's been a wonderful place for us to use."

Bliss said there are constant upgrades and expansions of the training program. The most significant, he said, is a new college credit program that allows graduates of the UA Training Program to apply their education at Washtenaw Community College to gain up to 30 credit hours toward getting a degree at another college.

"It's always good to have the UA here, and have our area be the center of attention for a week," said Business Manager Ron House of host UA Local 190. "The depth and detail of all the classes on the curriculum is really amazing. It gets bigger and better every year, and next year we're going to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Instructor Training Program. We're already planning for it."

THE UNITED ASSOCIATION of plumbers, pipe fitters and sprinkler fitters' bookstore at Washtenaw Commuity College is paid a visit by host Local 190 Business Manager Ron House, UA Director of Training George Bliss, and UA International Rep. for Michigan Tom McNamara.