Painters Union Opens $3.5 million Facility in Chesterfield

The Painters District Council 2 has opened a 10.5-acre facility that will train more than 400 apprentices, reports the St. Louis Labor Tribune. The facility is located at 18036 Eads Ave..

“We were spread among five buildings, yet we lacked good hands-on training space,” said Tim Klotz, director of training for Painters District Council 2, in the Labor Tribune’s article.

The Painters District Council 2 represents painters, tapers, paperhangers and glaziers across Eastern Missouri, according to its website.  

Inside the facility, trainees will be able to take classes in six new classrooms and will also be able to practice their craft in two mock residential and commercial structures that were built inside the facility.

The District Council 2’s apprenticeship program will last four years. Klotz told the Labor Tribune this will make Union Workers more competitive and prepared.

“I’ve seen jobs come out where we’ve beat the non-union competition,” Klotz said in the article. “The reason for that is better production rates with quality work and making sure that new hires are properly trained to keep that ratio going of quality work and production rates, industry certifications and safety certifications...”