Utah Career Center

What Utah Career Center does

Utah Career Center is a private apprenticeship training organization founded in 1944 and jointly administered by UA Local 140, a labor union, and the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association (UMCA). It operates from a single facility at 640 North Billy Mitchell Road in Salt Lake City, Utah, and serves aspiring skilled-trade professionals and union-affiliated contractors through earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship programs. The customer base is bifurcated: individual apprentices seeking journeyman-level certification, and contractor employers seeking a pipeline of certified plumbers, pipefitters, welders, and HVAC&R technicians.

The core product portfolio consists of four apprenticeship programs: a five-year combined Plumbing, Pipefitting & Welding (PPW) program in which apprentices earn certifications in all three trades, a standalone four-year HVAC&R apprenticeship, and the constituent single-trade iterations. Program delivery blends daytime classroom instruction with full-time on-the-job training (1,500 hours annually), taught by industry-certified journeymen instructors at state-of-the-art lab facilities. Academic affiliation is provided through Utah State University's Center for Workforce Development, with courses delivered via the Canvas LMS and apprentice tuition processed through USU, including payment plan options.

Revenue mechanics flow through tuition paid by apprentices (processed via USU) and operational support from the joint labor-management sponsors. No public pricing, revenue, or enrollment figures are disclosed, and the organization operates with approximately 10 employees. The go-to-market motion is community-led: year-round rolling applications, walk-in inquiries at the Salt Lake City facility, phone outreach, and referrals from UA Local 140 and UMCA members. Geographic scope is limited to Utah, and there are no disclosed geographic expansion plans, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Utah Career Center

Legal name

Utah Career Center

Website

https://ucctrades.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Utah Career Center is a Salt Lake City-based apprenticeship training organization jointly administered by UA Local 140 and the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association, providing earn-while-you-learn journeyman programs in plumbing, pipefitting, welding, and HVAC&R since 1944, with academic affiliation through Utah State University.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Apprenticeship Training

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning (EDAAAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK), Pipe Welding & Industrial Piping Fabrication Training (EDAOADAB), Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM), Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE)

Keywords

• Trade apprenticeship training
• Plumbing apprenticeship program
• HVAC apprenticeship training
• Welding certification program
• Pipefitter apprenticeship

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship Tuition: Apprentices pay tuition for the training programs. Payments are processed through Utah State University with payment plan options available.
2. Union and Contractor Association Support: Jointly administered by UA Local 140 labor union and Utah Mechanical Contractors Association, providing operational and funding support for the apprenticeship programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Utah Career Center delivers earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship training in plumbing, pipefitting, welding, and HVAC&R. Programs combine daytime classroom instruction (delivered through Utah State University's Center for Workforce Development via Canvas LMS) with full-time on-the-job training. Apprentices are jointly sponsored by UA Local 140 labor union and the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association (UMCA), earn industry-recognized certifications, and achieve journey-level status upon completion of the four-to-five-year program.

Product overview

Utah Career Center offers vocational apprenticeship training programs in the skilled trades. The organization provides two main tracks: (1) the Plumbing, Pipefitting & Welding (PPW) combined five-year program where apprentices earn certifications in all three trades, and (2) a standalone HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration) five-year program. All programs combine daytime classroom instruction with full-time on-the-job training, taught by industry-certified journeymen. Programs are jointly administered with UA Local 140 labor union and the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association (UMCA), with courses delivered in partnership with Utah State University's Center for Workforce Development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plumbing Apprenticeship A four-to-five-year apprenticeship program combining daytime classroom instruction and full-time on-the-job training to prepare apprentices for journey-level status as licensed plumbers. Covers drafting, blueprint reading, plumbing codes, troubleshooting, repair techniques, fabrication welding, and safety. Includes a required industry welding certification. Tuition is processed through Utah State University.
• Pipefitting Apprenticeship A four-to-five-year program training apprentices in pipefitting skills including CAD drawing, layout and detailing, pipe threading, plasma cutting, brazing, soldering, mitering, rigging, tube bending, welding, and valve installation. Pipefitter apprentices earn three industry-specific welding certifications. Upon completion, apprentices receive journey-level status and a completion certificate.
• Welding Apprenticeship A welding certification program delivered as a component of the combined Plumbing, Pipefitting & Welding (PPW) apprenticeship. Plumbing apprentices earn one industry-specific welding certification; pipefitter apprentices earn three. Curriculum covers metallurgy, blueprint reading, industrial mathematics, welding techniques, and electrical troubleshooting.
• HVAC&R Apprenticeship A four-to-five-year apprenticeship program focused on heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. Includes training in air systems, airflow principles, ductwork installation, piping practices, sheet metal layout, welding, brazing, and aerial lift operation. Apprentices earn 1,500 hours of on-the-job training annually and reach journey-level status upon completion.
• Plumbing, Pipefitting & Welding (PPW) Combined Program A five-year combined trade program that trains apprentices in plumbing, pipefitting, and welding simultaneously, enabling them to earn certifications in all three disciplines under a single apprenticeship. This is the flagship program of the Utah Career Center.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UA Local 140coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUA Local 140 is a labor union that jointly administers the Utah Career Center apprenticeship programs with the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association. The union provides industry expertise, instructor resources, and direct employment pipeline for graduates.
• Utah Mechanical Contractors Association (UMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMCA is an industry association representing mechanical contractors in Utah. Jointly administers the Utah Career Center with UA Local 140, providing employer partnerships, job placement opportunities, and industry-aligned curriculum development.
• Utah State University (USU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtah State University serves as the post-secondary partner, with apprentices enrolled through the Center for Workforce Development. USU provides academic affiliation (Aggie family status), course registration through Canvas LMS, and payment plan processing for tuition.
• ConcentraminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConcentra provides 10-panel drug testing services for apprenticeship applicants as part of the enrollment requirements. Testing locations are listed on authorization forms provided after application submission.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UA Local 140 (parent program): UA Local 140 is the joint administrator of UCC and operates the union side of the apprenticeship, effectively serving as the governing entity that channels apprentices and journeyman instructors into the Utah Career Center program.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Apprenticeship: ABC runs the largest open-shop (non-union) construction apprenticeship programs in the U.S., competing with UCC's joint labor-management model for apprentices and contractor employer partnerships in Utah and nationwide.
• Salt Lake Community College Skilled Trades Programs: SLCC offers HVAC, welding, and plumbing technology programs in the same Salt Lake City geography, competing with UCC for prospective apprentices seeking shorter-term, credit-bearing trade credentials rather than full apprenticeship paths.
• International Training Institute (ITI): ITI is the national training arm of the United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters, HVAC service techs and welders, providing curriculum, instructor certification, and program support to UA local apprenticeship programs like UCC. Direct upstream peer supporting UCC's training content and credentials.
• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Apprenticeship: IEC operates a four-year electrical apprenticeship program with similar earn-while-you-learn and DOL-registered credentials, competing with UCC for prospective tradespeople entering skilled construction careers.

Regional players

• Davis Technical College: Davis Tech is a Utah-based technical college offering certificate programs in HVAC, plumbing, welding and pipefitting, providing an alternative training pathway in the same geographic market as UCC.

Broad incumbents

• National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER): NCCER provides standardized craft curricula and credentials used by ABC, community colleges, and contractor training programs nationwide, serving as a broad incumbent in construction apprenticeship certification that overlaps with UCC's training scope.

Emerging players

• Helmets to Hardhats: Helmets to Hardhats connects U.S. military veterans to registered apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades, including UA programs like UCC, representing a recruitment pipeline that overlaps with UCC's apprenticeship intake.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/utah-career-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Utah Career Center