ElevatorInfo recently met with Jim Snider, Executive VP at Quality Elevator to talk about the advantages IUEC affiliation brings not only to the elevator constructor mechanics and apprentices his company employs but to his overall business.

Jim has worked in the elevator industry practically all his life. After graduating from high school and starting out as an electrician, he became an installer in new construction at Haughton Elevator. Around the time that Haughton was acquired by Schindler in the mid-1980s, Jim passed his mechanic’s test and transferred to Quality Elevator, a local/regional independent company based in Bladensburg, MD. Jim spent most of his career as a field mechanic there before transitioning to a management position. Today, Jim is the Executive Vice President for Quality Elevator Company, which has, according to its website, “grown to become one of the largest independent elevator service contractors in the Maryland, Virginia, and District of Columbia Region.”

At the top of the list of advantages for elevator companies affiliated with the IUEC, is the superior education and training all IUEC elevator mechanics receive, starting with their apprenticeship through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) and continuing on through their years in the trade as mechanics. “We invest heavily in training, and the union really helps us out with that area of the industry. They have an excellent educational program,” Jim said.

Because their NEIEP education provides hands-on training and a broad base of knowledge covering the fundamentals of what elevator mechanics need to know to be the most skilled, proficient, and safety-focused in the industry, Jim is able to craft the additional safety training his company provides to the specifics of what his mechanics need based on the type of work they do and equipment they work with every day.

“The NEIEP program is one of those things that sets Quality Elevator and all of the other (IUEC-affiliated) companies apart,” he said. “They provide online training, they provide in-person training, they have shops (including) welding shops… you won’t find any other industry that I know of that provides this training at the level that we provide and work with the union on.”

Knowing his employees are taken care of by a generous benefit plan is also an advantage of being an IUEC-affiliated company. The IUEC provides the best health care coverage there is for its members and their families, with no additional premium costs. “Their healthcare is paid for – it doesn’t come out of their paychecks,” he said.

Through the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan, IUEC elevator constructors and their families have access to a generous and comprehensive schedule of medical, prescription drug, mental health/substance abuse disorder, dental, vision, and hearing benefits. And once an IUEC member is eligible for benefits under the Health Benefit Plan, full coverage is also extended to the member’s spouse and children.

Beyond the health care plan, Jim talked about the three levels of retirement IUEC mechanics enjoy – including a pension, 401K, and annuity. “They can retire very well after this,” he said.

The National Elevator Industry Pension Plan is one of the largest defined benefit multiemployer pension plans in the US and is funded by contributions employers make to the Pension Plan for each hour a member works. So for every hour an elevator constructor works for a contributing employer like Quality Elevator Company, that individual’s monthly lifetime pension benefit grows. It’s especially important that in an environment of troubled Pension Plans, since its inception in 1962, the NEI Pension Plan has been secure and has never failed to meet its financial obligations.

The Annuity 401(k) Plan is one of the largest defined contribution multiemployer pension plans in the nation. IUEC members’ retirement savings in the Annuity 401(k) Plan grow through contributions employers make to the Plan for each hour the IUEC member works (their “Annuity Account”), and voluntary pre-tax wage deferrals (401(k) elective deferrals) each IUEC elevator constructor chooses to contribute to the Plan (their“401(k) Account”). IUEC elevator constructors are always fully vested in their Annuity Accounts and 401(k) Accounts. This great source of financial security is in addition to the pension IUEC members receive through the Pension Plan and Social Security.

Superior education and training, an excellent health care plan and the security of a reliable plan for retirement allow the elevator constructor apprentices and mechanics who work for Jim and his team at Quality Elevator Company to focus on getting their work done effectively and efficiently without the additional worries or distractions that workers at companies without these benefits may face.

To learn more about the benefits of becoming an IUEC-affiliated elevator company or hiring one to install, service, troubleshoot, modernize, or repair your conveyance equipment, contact us here.

During a recent trip to Chicago, Illinois, ElevatorInfo had the chance to sit down and talk with Nate Hefner, a U.S. Veteran working as an elevator mechanic in Chicago.

Nate did not always plan for a career in the elevator trade; in fact, his degree is in Architecture. After transitioning out of active duty as a member of the Army National Guard, he knew that he never wanted a job where he would be forced to sit behind a computer or work in an office all day. A close friend and fellow Veteran who is a member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 2 in Chicago suggested Nate check out the elevator trade. Right away, Nate knew that it would be a good fit.

“My favorite part of my job is actually working with my hands,” Nate explained. “That’s why I really like new construction… it’s more hands-on – measuring, beating things with a hammer, and actually building something that was not there when you got to the job a couple of weeks before.”

When asked about what makes him good at his job, Nate was quick to give a shout-out to the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP). While other elevator training programs in the industry are offered via correspondence course, NEIEP is a four-plus year USDOL-Registered Apprenticeship, held to rigorous standards. Weekly classroom training that incorporates hands-on practical labs and virtual simulations administered by some of the best-trained instructors in the industry are what sets the IUEC’s program apart from the rest. “Once you graduate (from) the NEIEP program and you take that (Mechanic Exam) test, you know you can start day one of building that elevator without having somebody tell you how,” said Nate. “NEIEP has taught you how to build that elevator safely.”

From foundational classes covering the basics of working in the elevator trade to advanced training modules on troubleshooting the complex systems elevator constructors encounter on the job daily, NEIEP provides IUEC members with the knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs thoroughly, efficiently, and above all, safely. In a field with as many potential hazards as this one, safety must be a central component of any training program. This is why the NEIEP apprenticeship begins with a safety course for probationary members, and has included in its required apprenticeship training certifications in OSHA 10, Scaffold and Access Industry Association’s (SAIA) Competent Person Training for Framed Scaffolds, Scaffold and Access Industry Association’s (SAIA) Training Program for Suspended Scaffolds, American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, and Certified Signal Person and Rigger (Level 1), an industry-specific ANSI/ANAB accredited certification in rigging and signaling.

The NEIEP apprenticeship curriculum covers not only the individual steps involved in performing a task but guides students through an in-depth exploration of electrical and mechanical theory and application. Once an apprentice successfully completes the eight-semester program, logs 8,000 hours of work under the supervision of an experienced mechanic, and passes the capstone validated Mechanic Exam, they have access to more than 40 online and classroom-based continuing education courses. What’s more, courses completed during the NEIEP apprenticeship have been recognized as equivalent to college-level learning by a number of accredited colleges and universities who give college transfer credit to NEIEP graduates who want to earn associate and bachelor’s degrees in fields such as Construction Management, Project Management, Applied Sciences, Engineering Technology, Education, and more. This advanced training benefits every elevator constructor in the IUEC along with their colleagues, employers, building owners, and the riding public.

While Nate came into the elevator trade through the standard recruitment process, the IUEC also supports Veterans as they transition to a career in the elevator industry through a partnership with the national nonprofit organization Helmets to Hardhats. Helmets to Hardhats connects military service members with training and education programs in the building trades, providing veterans with career opportunities through federally-registered apprenticeship programs like the one offered by NEIEP. Through Helmets to Hardhats, IUEC Locals across the United States offer Veterans priority status during Apprenticeship recruitment.

In the video, Nate highlighted how the safety-focused, comprehensive classroom courses he completed during his NEIEP Apprenticeship prepared him to do his job well, keeping his customers and his company satisfied. His main point? That the practical, hands-on learning he participated in in the classroom prepared him with the skills he needed to challenge the demands of his work in the field. “You have to pay attention to what you’re learning because it applies to the real world,” he said.

The National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) recently joined members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 133 and staff from the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF) in Austin, Texas, for an informational fair showcasing the industry’s most comprehensive education and training program for elevator technicians/constructors. NEIEP Development staff and Area Coordinators traveled from the program’s new, state-of-the-art Instructor Training Center in Warwick, Rhode Island and IUEC Locals from across the country to set up the event in the capital of the Lone Star State.

Along with having what one ElevatorInfo writer would argue is the best BBQ in the country, Austin is home to a number of industry stakeholders. Elected officials, company representatives and owners, building owners, contractors, and elevator constructors all visited the fair to learn about the education program and see demonstrations of NEIEP’s new and upcoming course materials for IUEC apprentices and mechanics. Through state-of-the-art classes held on-site in locations across the US – and online platforms IUEC members can access from their homes – NEIEP training gives IUEC elevator constructors the foundational and specialized skills they need to safely and efficiently build, modernize, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair complex pieces of conveyance machinery including elevators, escalators, moving walks, Automated People Movers, and more.

Between stops at each of the stations at the event, we had opportunities to speak with lawmakers interested in the value of USDOL-Registered Apprenticeship training, company representatives who employ the talented elevator constructors coming out of NEIEP, and individuals who help to make decisions as to which elevator contractor is the best fit for a particular project. We were also able to speak with three attendees who are currently working as elevator constructors in the field for TK Elevator.

Jarred Baker, Bobby Harper, and Pat Coker all traveled out to the NEIEP fair in Austin to meet Lester White, NEIEP’s Department Head of Development, and some of the talented subject matter experts who develop and implement the curriculum and hands-on lab materials featured in NEIEP’s new and upcoming training. All proud members of IUEC Local 133, the elevator constructors we spoke with shared with us how they valued their work, were enthusiastic about the industry as a whole, and wanted to show their support for the program that sets up IUEC members for safe, successful careers.

Jarred told us about the relationships he’s built with his IUEC brothers and sisters, emphasizing how the people he works with always look out for each other and always have each other’s backs. In a trade where elevator technicians/constructors routinely encounter a myriad of hazards on the job site, this is especially important. Bobby, a third-generation elevator constructor, agreed with Jarred and went on to share how important it is to be able to talk to others in the trade – people who know exactly what challenges elevator constructors face in their work with the complex equipment and systems they work with daily.

Both Jarred and Bobby touched on the impressive benefits package the IUEC provides to member elevator constructors.  When comparing the IUEC’s benefits packages to others, Pat described it as “the best in the country.” Through the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan, IUEC members and their families have access to a generous and comprehensive schedule of medical, prescription drug, mental health/substance abuse, dental, vision, and hearing benefits. Once an IUEC member is eligible for benefits under the Health Benefit Plan, full coverage is also extended to the member’s spouse and children with no additional premium costs.

In addition to providing an extensive health care coverage plan, the IUEC worked with employers to establish the Elevator Constructors Annuity and 401(k) Retirement Plan – one of the largest defined contribution multiemployer pension plans in the nation. This is in addition to the pension IUEC members receive through the Pension Plan and Social Security. With the National Elevator Industry Pension Plan – one of the largest defined benefit multiemployer pension plans in the US – as early as age 55, a member with 5 years of service can retire and begin receiving a monthly lifetime pension benefit from the Plan that cannot be reduced.

“This trade will provide you with a great future,” Pat added. “Sky’s the limit.”

To learn more about the benefits package IUEC elevator constructors receive, visit https://www.elevatorinfo.org/elevator-technicians

The International Union of Elevator Constructors’ National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) has recently opened the doors of a brand new, state-of-the-art, 98,000-square-foot instructor training center in Warwick, RI. Conveniently located just a 3-minute drive from Rhode Island’s T.F. Green Airport, the facility will train classroom and distance learning teachers from across the United States.

For more than ten years, Lester White, Department Head of Development has led the NEIEP Development staff in the creation of new courses along with an update of the program’s existing curricula to meet the rapidly-changing needs of the elevator industry. In the video, you will see footage of the new building and hear Lester speak more about the exciting things going on at NEIEP.

It’s not enough to simply write new textbooks – the hands-on learning that takes place in NEIEP classrooms must be taught by instructors who are thoroughly trained in how the complex lab equipment used in NEIEP courses functions, and knowledgeable about the most relevant pedagogical methods for communicating that information to students. To ensure NEIEP instructors are at the top of their game, the program has been bringing them to NEIEP headquarters for training for some time.

Until the NEIEP Instructor Training Center opened its doors in late 2021, instructor training generally took place in hotel conference rooms or at the program’s headquarters building in Attleboro Falls, Massachusetts. As NEIEP grew from a generalized training course to a nationally-recognized, US Department of Labor-Registered Apprenticeship – and went from offering a couple of Continuing Education courses for experienced mechanics to dozens of classroom-based and online courses for journeypersons – physical space at the headquarters building became increasingly limited. Locals all across the country were putting in requests to send their NEIEP instructors to the popular Basic and Advanced Train the Trainer teaching skills programs, as well as training on the specialized lab equipment used in Apprenticeship and Continuing Education courses.

By the mid-2010s, virtually all of these courses were being conducted at airport hotels in Rhode Island. It worked for the most part, but it meant that any scheduling of classroom space had to be done a year or more in advance and that NEIEP’s Development Team had to work around the hotel’s limitations for space and room availability. Plus, all of the lab equipment had to be brought on trucks to and from the hotel, where it was set up and broken down again and again, necessitating additional staff time as well as causing wear and tear on sensitive lab components. After several years of working around these limitations, it became clear that a different solution was needed.

To meet the growing need for instructor training in the elevator industry, NEIEP purchased a new building out by T.F. Green International Airport. Long used as a storage facility for boats, cars, and other equipment, the building was large, sparse, and had tremendous possibility. After working with a local architecture firm that had extensive experience building educational and commercial spaces, final plans for the design of the new NEIEP Instructor Training Center were approved. Construction began in the early months of 2020, just as the country was shutting down in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Amazingly, the team was able to set up a safe environment so that the tradespeople could continue their work on the building in accordance with state, local, and national restrictions, and ultimately finish construction of the project ahead of schedule and under budget.

Today, the NEIEP Instructor Training Center is buzzing with activity. When ElevatorInfo visited, staff from the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund were leading an OSHA 500 course to certify NEIEP instructors to teach OSHA 10 certification courses to Semester 100 and Continuing Education students all throughout the country. In another area of the building, NEIEP instructors were learning how to teach Continuing Education courses using the Valve Simulator, which teaches elevator constructors how to make sensitive adjustments to hydraulic valve equipment in a safe, controlled environment before performing this complicated work in the field. In another classroom, they were being trained on how to conduct courses using new motor labs for a Continuing Education course on Motor Alignment. And in yet another classroom, new teachers were learning about the fundamentals of pedagogy and classroom management in Basic Train the Trainer.

This year, more than a thousand IUEC members will spend time at the facility getting prepared to teach all eight semesters of the Apprenticeship Program and certify elevator constructor apprentices and mechanics in American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, Scaffold and Access Industry Association (SAIA) Competent Person for Framed and Suspended Scaffolding, forklift operation, and more.

The new NEIEP Instructor Training Center is something every IUEC member should be proud of. It ensures our instructors will continue to be the best-of-the-best, most highly trained and qualified in the elevator trade. Because the quality of our educational offerings is so high, NEIEP credits are recognized as college-level learning and can be converted to up to 58 transfer credits through partnerships with a number of accredited colleges and universities across the United States. And all NEIEP courses are covered by IUEC members’ education benefit, so there are no additional costs for apprentices or mechanics to attend.

If you find yourself in the Ocean State, stop by and visit Lester and NEIEP’s Development team at the NEIEP Instructor Training Center.

For more information about the most comprehensive education program in the elevator industry, check out https://www.neiep.org/bst-Default.aspx.