UCM & North Central Missouri College Partner With United Brotherhood of Carpenters to Expand Instructor Training, Degree Pathways

Representatives from the University of Central Missouri (UCM), North Central Missouri College (NCMC) and the
Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF) gather at the Carpenters International Training Center in Las Vegas,
Nevada, to mark a partnership creating instructor training and degree pathways for United Brotherhood of Carpenters
members nationwide. Pictured, from left, are Roger Best, president of UCM; Doug Fiore, dean of the UCM College of
Education; Bob Jacobson, executive director of the CITF; Brian Connearney, technical coordinator at CITF; Mitchell
Holder, dean of instruction at NCMC; and Tristan Londre, vice president of Academic Affairs at NCMC.

 

Skilled trades instructors across North America will have new pathways to earn college credentials and strengthen their teaching skills through a multiyear partnership among the University of Central Missouri (UCM), North Central Missouri College (NCMC) and the Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF).

Through a recently signed memorandum of understanding, UCM will serve as the apprenticeship instructor training provider for CITF, while NCMC will provide an associate degree pathway designed to help participants continue toward bachelor's degree completion at UCM. The five-year agreement, which began with an initial course offering in November 2025, will support the training and certification of approximately 500 instructors annually.

CITF is the training arm of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC), providing curriculum and instructor development through a network of training centers that support union members and signatory contractors across North America, with an emphasis on skill, safety, productivity and workforce readiness.

 

“This partnership reflects UCM’s commitment to workforce development and educational opportunities that support skilled trades professionals across North America,” said Roger Best, president of UCM. “By working with NCMC and UBC, we are helping create a pathway that recognizes applied learning, supports career advancement and connects industry training to meaningful academic credentials.”

Training is delivered at the Carpenters International Training Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, a 1.2 million-square-foot campus spanning more than 27 acres. The facility includes more than 70 classrooms, conference spaces and specialized labs, along with more than 600 guest rooms across three UBC-owned hotels. It serves approximately 15,000 members each year through leadership and technical training programs.

 

“Our members and contractors depend on world-class training, and that starts with world-class instructors,” said Bob Jacobson, executive director of CITF. “This partnership gives our instructors new opportunities to earn academic credentials while enhancing their ability to deliver the industry-leading training that has become the hallmark of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. Our instructors come from the industry where they build projects; this partnership helps them become better at building our members.”

 

In addition to instructor certification, UCM will offer a Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies and Training for apprenticeship instructors seeking to advance their teaching and leadership skills.

The initiative also includes stackable credentials, including a new undergraduate Industry Educator certificate developed by UCM. Participants may also earn credentials in Career and Technical Education and Safety Science as they progress toward degree completion.

 

Through collaboration with NCMC and its Direct Connect partnership with UCM, participants may earn an Associate of Applied Science in Applied Technology before transferring to UCM to complete a bachelor’s degree. The partnership is designed to connect workforce training, community college coursework and university degree completion into a more seamless pathway for UBC apprenticeship instructors.

 

 

“North Central Missouri College is proud to be part of a partnership that meets students where they are and helps them move forward,” said Lenny Klaver, president of NCMC. “Many of these participants bring years of professional experience and leadership in the skilled trades. Our role is to help translate that experience into a meaningful academic pathway while helping students navigate transcripts, prior coursework and the first steps of returning to college. The pathway can continue through UCM and support their long-term professional growth.”

UCM, NCMC and CITF staff are working together to align train-the-trainer courses, associate degree requirements and bachelor's degree coursework. Faculty from both institutions are reviewing student learning outcomes to identify where CITF training aligns with college-level requirements, reducing content duplication and helping participants progress efficiently toward additional credentials. In some cases, UCM courses may be accepted by NCMC as part of the associate degree pathway, allowing participants to earn credit and credentials across industry training, community college and university programs.

 

“The timeline reflects what can happen when higher education and industry partners are focused on the same workforce need,” said Doug Fiore, dean of UCM’s College of Education. “Faculty and staff across UCM, NCMC and CITF moved from early pathway discussions in June 2025 to the first course offering in November 2025 while maintaining the academic quality expected of a university credential.”

“A bachelor’s degree can feel overwhelming when viewed as 120 credit hours, especially for working professionals who may not have seen college as part of their path,” said Michelle Conrad, chair of UCM’s Department of Leadership and Career Preparation. “This partnership creates stepping stones. By working with CITF and NCMC, we are recognizing the training and experience these instructors already have while building a clear route from instructor training to an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree and additional credentials.”

NCMC will also help participants navigate the first steps of returning to college, including transcript review, prior coursework and other admissions processes that can be challenging for adult learners. The support is designed to meet participants where they are while helping them move efficiently through the associate degree pathway and toward continued study at UCM.

 

Courses within the instructor certification program include Adult Education and Training, Curriculum and Literacy Development, Instructional Methods, Performance Assessment and Adult Learning Theory. The six instructor certification courses began during the spring 2026 semester. Courses connected to the Associate of Applied Science degree are expected to begin in summer and fall 2026. 

UCM is also exploring opportunities to offer graduate-level pathways through its Master of Science in Career and Technical Education and Education Specialist in Professional Leadership: Adult, Career and Technical Education programs. Some dual-listed courses connected to the certification coursework are already being offered at the graduate level, with full degree delivery also anticipated by the end of 2027, pending required approvals. Additional bachelor’s degree courses are expected to begin rolling out in spring 2027, with all classes expected to be available by the end of the 2027 calendar year.

As the program expands, UCM, NCMC and CITF expect to continue identifying opportunities to align coursework, recognize prior learning and share the stories of apprenticeship instructors whose professional experience, classroom training and academic progress are helping strengthen skilled trades education nationwide.

Additional information about the partnership and related academic pathways is available through UCM, North Central Missouri College and the Carpenters International Training Fund.