North Central Missouri College is partnering with the Carpenters International Training Fund and the University of Central Missouri to help skilled trades instructors turn their professional training and experience into college credentials.

Under the five-year agreement, NCMC will offer an Associate of Applied Science in Applied Technology pathway for instructors affiliated with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. After completing the associate degree, participants may continue their education at UCM through the NCMC-UCM Direct Connect partnership.

The program brings together industry training, community college coursework and university degree completion to create a more accessible path for working professionals. Approximately 500 instructors are expected to receive training and certification through the partnership each year.

“North Central Missouri College is proud to be part of a partnership that meets students where they are and helps them move forward,” NCMC President Lenny Klaver said.

“Many of these participants bring years of professional experience and leadership in the skilled trades,” Klaver said. “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.”

NCMC will assist participants with admissions, transcript reviews, previous coursework and the recognition of applicable training and professional experience.

Faculty and staff from NCMC, UCM and the Carpenters International Training Fund are also working to align industry instruction with college-level learning requirements. The effort is designed to reduce duplicated coursework and help participants progress more efficiently toward certificates and degrees.

In some cases, training completed through the fund and coursework completed through UCM may count toward NCMC’s associate degree requirements. The arrangement allows students to build on their existing education and professional experience rather than starting over.

The Applied Technology degree recognizes participants’ technical expertise while helping them develop additional skills for advancement in education, training and leadership. Graduates may then pursue UCM’s Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies and Training. Additional credentials may be available in industry education, career and technical education and safety science.

“This partnership reflects UCM’s commitment to workforce development and educational opportunities that support skilled trades professionals across North America,” UCM President Roger Best said.

“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,” Best said.

The Carpenters International Training Fund is the training division of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which represents more than 530,000 members in the United States and Canada. The fund provides curriculum development, instructor education and technical and leadership training.

Training takes place at the Carpenters International Training Center in Las Vegas, which serves approximately 15,000 members annually. The facility includes more than 70 classrooms, conference spaces and technical laboratories.

“Our members and contractors depend on world-class training, and that starts with world-class instructors,” fund Executive Director Bob Jacobson said.

“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,” Jacobson said.

Initial discussions began in June 2025, and the first course was offered in November. Six instructor certification courses began during the spring 2026 semester. Courses connected to NCMC’s Applied Technology degree are expected to begin during the summer and fall 2026 terms.

The three organizations plan to continue identifying ways to recognize prior learning, align coursework and develop additional educational pathways for apprenticeship instructors nationwide.