The ITC at 20

A vision of comprehensive training
and education excellence is realized

It was a proud moment when the Carpenters International Training Center in Las Vegas opened its doors for the first time in 2001. At that time the ITC included 178,000 square feet of training space, a dormitory, dining room and administrative offices—and represented the beginning of a new chapter in the history of our union.

It was a “Major Upgrade,” as Carpenter magazine reported after the grand opening. “As I see it,” wrote General President Doug McCarron in that edition’s editorial, the ITC “is one of the smartest investments we can make.”

  • It was all about preparing UBC members for construction careers, helping them secure continued work and creating partnerships that would match UBC training excellence with the industry’s up-to-the-minute needs. 
  • It was an investment in a new focus on standardized instructor training, curriculum development and specialized programs, developed by the Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF).
  • It housed the creation of a leadership training program that is unmatched in the labor movement. Powered by the UBC Department of Education and Training (DET), the ITC hosts members, staff and elected leaders as they develop leadership skills that can raise industry standards; transform culture on jobsites, in union halls, and at regional councils; and strive to achieve the union’s goal of 70 percent market share.

From the beginning, the ITC has been the largest and most comprehensive training facility of its kind in the world. And how we have grown, in square-footage and in programs offered.

ITC Facts and Figures

A sampling of features and major training areas

  • 27-acre campus
  • 1.2 million square feet under roof
  • 1.5-acre outdoor training area
  • Pump training area
  • 7f GE gas turbine
  • 4 overhead bridge cranes
  • 2-floor conveyor system
  • 30 x 60-foot retractable roof
  • 16,000-gallon dive tank
  • Mechatronics lab
  • Pile driver pit
  • Concrete forms
  • Roofing applications
  • Building Envelope
  • ICRA props
  • Ceiling systems
  • Flooring
  • 70 classrooms
  • 3 large conference areas
  • Full dining facilities
  • Fitness center
  • Over 600 guest rooms (ITC dormitory and two adjacent hotels)
  • 16,000 class seats used by regional training fund coordinators and instructors, 2015–2020
  • 15,000 per year participate in leadership education (pre-pandemic)

Flagship Leadership Programs

3rd Year Apprentice: Helping Build Our Industries

UBC Journeymen: Building Leadership for a Strong Future

212 Journeymen: Next Level UBC Leaders

Foreman Training: Building a Solid Foundation

Collaborative Leadership: Building Jobsite Leaders

The numbers are impressive, but 20 years later, UBC members can best tell why the ITC has more than fulfilled its promise. As in-person programs ramped back up this fall, UBC members on campus spoke out about the ITC’s impact.  

“I wasn’t aware of the massive scope of the [specialties] that are trained here. This is totally revelatory for me and makes me consider other options for the future.”

–Isaac Pinedale, Local 1503, Portland, Ore.

“I would definitely advise other members to come to the ITC. The center is state-of-the-art and it’s huge. The staff here is great—they share their knowledge, and you will have a great time.

–Abraham Delatorre, Local 68L, Pittsburg, Calif.