UA Piping Industry
College of BC

The Piping Industry Apprenticeship Board (PIAB); doing business as the UA Piping Industry College of BC (UAPICBC) is a United Association Trade School providing pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship and certification training in the Piping Trades: Plumbing, Sprinklerfitting, Steamfitting and Welding.

Incorporated in 1988, UAPICBC has been training students in the piping trades for over 25 years and is designated by both the Industry Training Authority (ITA) and the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB). UAPICBC is a non-profit society, governed by a Joint Board of Directors with equal representation from both the United Association and the Mechanical Industry Relations Association.

UAPICBC has three campuses in key locations throughout the province; the Lower Mainland, Fort St. John and Terrace.

Meet the Team

William Schwarz, AAS, RSE

Executive Director of Apprenticeship and Training

William Schwarz, RSE

Director of Operations

Red Seal Plumbing
Red Seal Steamfitting
B Gas Endorsement
Level C Welding
NAUSC/CSA Rigging Instructor
NAUSC/CSA Medical Gas Instructor
Cross Connection Control Instructor
OFA Level 1
ASSE - Infectious Control Risk Assessment Instructor
Instructor's Diploma

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 432)
will.schwarz@uapicbc.ca

William Schwarz has been with UAPICBC since 2014, starting as an instructor, moving on to Director of Operations, and now as Executive Director of Apprenticeship and Training. Prior to his time at UAPICBC he worked on various projects in western Canada on travel card in Local 488, 179, and 496; including chemical plants, mines, oil sands projects, and power plants. He has been a member of Local 170 since 2006. Will spends his time outside of work with his wife Amelia, little girls Isla, Audrey and Olivia, and their dog Jaxon.

Jordan Falk, RSE

Program Manager

Jordan Falk, RSE

PROGRAM MANAGER

Red Seal Steamfitter
Red Seal Plumber
NAUSC Supervision Level 1 & 2 Instructor
NAUSC/CSA P.I.P.E.S. Rigger Instructor

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 441)
jordan.falk@uapicbc.ca

Before beginning his career at UAPICBC, Jordan worked in pipe trade supervisory roles throughout British Columbia and Alberta mainly on large new construction projects and maintenance shutdowns in the heavy industrial sector. Now in his current role of Program Manager, he aims to deliver industry leading trades training throughout the province of BC.

Leslie Yellowknee

Special Projects Co-Ordinator (Delta Campus)

C

Special Projects Co-Ordinator (Delta Campus)

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 437)
Leslie.Yellowknee@uapicbc.ca

.

Kevin Jeffery

Kevin Jeffery

Special Projects Co-Ordinator, Northern Campuses

Kevin Jeffery

Special Projects Co-Ordinator, Northern Campuses

(778) 634-2347
Kevin.Jeffery@uapicbc.ca

Kevin started working for UAPIC in 2010 by helping open the Northwest satellite campus in Kitimat for the KMP project. With 15 years of experience helping students get into the trades in the Northwest with a focus on Indigenous peoples. He has a diploma in Recreational Facilities Management from Langara College and is currently working on his PID at Vancouver Community College.

When Kevin isn’t helping students enter the trades, he enjoys golfing & curling.

Stephanie Sirot, MBA

Controller 

Stephanie Sirot

Controller CPA, CGA

(604) 540-1945
Stephanie.Sirot@uapicbc.ca

Stephanie Beacom-Student Services

Administrative Assistant-Student Services

Stephanie Beacom

Student Services

(604) 540-1945
Stephanie.beacom@uapicbc.ca

Manj Garcha

Administrative Assistant

Manj Garcha

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 422)
Manj.Garch@uapicbc.ca

Roxana Mardones

Bookkeeper & Financial Aid

Roxana Mardones

Bookkeeper & Financial Aid

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 422)
Roxana.Mardones@uapicbc.ca

Roxana started at UA Piping Industry College of BC in 2012, as our bookkeeper and financial aid officer. Roxana handles UAPICBC’s accounts receivable/ payable department as well. Roxana is also UAPIC’s financial Aid officer. She provides financial services to students, such as assisting students in obtaining their financial loans. In Roxana’s spare time she enjoys getting out into nature and hiking.

Miranda Myles

Administrative Assistant – Fort St John Campus

Miranda Myles

Administrative Assistant

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 422)
Miranda.myles@uapicbc.ca

Pavel Pajger, RSE

Instructor

Pavel Pajger, RSE, RSE

Instructor

Red Seal Plumber

Instructor’s Diploma

(604) 540-1945 (ext. ???)
pavel.pajger@uapicbc.ca

Pavel's info .

Johnny Michalec, AAS, RSE

Instructor

John Michalec, RSE, RSE

Instructor

Red Seal Plumber

Instructor’s Diploma

(604) 540-1945 (ext. ???)
john.michalec@uapicbc.ca

.

Rob Dhensaw, RSE

Instructor

Rob Dhensaw, RSE, RSE

Instructor

Red Seal Spriklerfitter

Instructor’s Diploma

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 422)
rob.dhensaw@uapicbc.ca

.

Raven Hillenbrand, RSE

Instructor

Raven Hillenbrand

Instructor

Red Seal Plumber
Red Seal Steamfitter
B Gasfitter

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 429)
raven.hillenbrand@uapicbc.ca

Raven is from the Gitxaala Nation and is of Raven/Ganhada clan from the house of Dza’Wilaks. Raven decided to move down to the lower mainland to seek further education and find meaningful career opportunities. In 2009 she took a “Women in Trades” program that was offered at UA Piping Industry College. This sparked an interested in the trades which lead her to take the Women in the Trades Exploratory Program. This course led Raven to choose plumbing as her trade. Through hard work and dedication Raven achieved her red seal in Plumbing. Raven has been able to work with companies like Chemco Electrical, PML, and Trotter & Morton. She has recently started teaching at UA Piping Industry College. She is excited to share her knowledge and ignite the spark that she felt towards the trades for other people.

Jerry Rise,

RSE

Instructor

Jerry Rise, RSE

Instructor

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 439)
jerry.rise@uapicbc.ca

Mark Donnery

CSO

Mark Donnery

CSO

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 433)
mark.donnery@uapicbc.ca

Mark started his gas fitting career in 1995 and received his Gas B ticket in 1998. Then in 2012, Mark got his Gas A ticket. Before coming to UAPIC, Mark was at FortisBC, where he focused on Emergency response and maintenance. Mark joined the UAPIC team in 2021 as our Construction Safety Officer and Media Guy. Mark also runs all our Job Ready Dispatch Training courses. Mark is committed to providing a safe environment to learn and is eager to share his skills.

An interesting fact about Mark is that he was born in Dublin, Ireland. In Mark’s free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and making movies and YouTube videos with his son and daughter.

Len Wiebe, RSE

Instructor

Len Wiebe, RSE

Instructor

Red Seal Welder
Level "A" Specialty Metals Endorsement
OFA Level 2

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 103)
leonard.wiebe@uapicbc.ca

Len started his welding career in 1976 and has worked all over B.C. and Alberta in the oil and gas, mining, forestry, and shipyard industries. For 15 years, he ran his own custom iron shop in Surrey, fabricating unique railings and gates for some of the finest homes in Vancouver. He also specialized in custom iron furnishings, such as beds, tables, and chandeliers.

Len has been with UAPIC since 2017 and teaches the welding foundations as well as being one of the facility's first aid attendants.

Len is married with three children, and when their kids finished their education, Len and his wife spent 5 years in France renovating old stone houses and enjoying the French way of life. He feels the most satisfying part of his job is when he receives an email or phone call from a former student after they got their first job.

Audrey Curran, BBM, RSE

Andrey Andreev, RSE

Instructor

Andrey Andreev

Instructor

Red Seal Welding
Level "A" Welder/ Specialty Metals Endorsement
Certified Level One Welding Instructor

(604) 540-1945 (ext. 438)
andrey.andreev@uapicbc.ca

Visit our Campuses

UAPICBC has three campuses in key locations throughout the province; the Lower Mainland,              Fort St. John and Terrace.

Lower Mainland

Fort St. John

Terrace