UA Piping Industry
College of BC

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.

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.

Miranda Myles joined UAPICBC in 2010. Based in Fort St John, she is the first point of contact for phone inquiries and brings lots of experience in customer service and a lot of enthusiasm for her role. She also assists both our Delta and Terrace campuses and prepares statistics on our funded programs for both the federal and provincial governments. Miranda feels privileged to be a part of students’ progress and to watch them grow from introduction to trades to Red Seal Journeypersons. She enjoys speaking with people passionate about their trade and assisting them in the best way possible. Miranda looks forward to your call!

Pavel is from Czech Republic and has been with UAPICBC since 2008. He started working as a machinist after obtaining a Mechanical Adjuster Certificate in Slovakia. When he came to Canada, Pavel completed his plumbing apprenticeship and worked in the field for 15 years. Afterwards, he decided to transition into instructing. Pavel had previously been a machinist instructor in Slovakia and enjoyed this role. He volunteered at our school for 6 months before being hired as an instructor. Pavel also obtained his Instructor Diploma from Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. When he is not teaching, Pavel enjoys exercising and fitness – he used to be a competitive runner-, cooking and spending time with friends and family. .

Johnny joined the college in 2010. He worked as a plumber for over 20 years and has been a member of UA Local 170 since 1988. He worked on multiple residential and industrial projects, as well as for the Vancouver Shipyards. In 2018, Johnny completed an associate's degree in applied sciences from Washtenaw College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, following an instructor diploma obtained from the same school in 2014. Johnny is also the Technical Chair at BC Skills. He is involved in preparations for the annual provincial BC Skills competition showcasing talent in the trades. He has been married to Teresa for 30 years and has 2 sons, Justin and Kyle. In his spare time, Johnny enjoys various sports, working out, and spending time with his family. He is an avid Canucks and Seahawks fan. .

James joined UAPIBC in 2025. He initially trained in joinery before switching to sprinklerfitting, as he thought his career prospects would be better in this field. He was also attracted to the installation aspect of the trade, requiring clean structures. James worked on various projects for a decade, including on the LNG Canada site, which provided valuable experience on the requirements for such projects and the high level of safety practices associated with them. He also worked for 4 years at Royal Columbian Hospital where he led crews and ensured quality installations for this complex and demanding site. As an instructor, he brings real-world knowledge into the classroom to support and mentor the next generation of sprinkler fitters. Outside of work, James enjoys hiking, golfing, and playing baseball.

Qualifications : Red Seal Plumber Gas B fitter Medical Gas Certification NAUSC Supervision Level 1 Before starting his career at UAPICBC, Anthony worked in both residential and commercial projects throughout the lower mainland. He specialized in building mechanical rooms and highly technical applications. He also spent time as a supervisor at large hospital projects such as the New St. Paul’s Hospital. Now as a Teacher he strives to educate and motivate the next generation to achieve excellence in their careers. In his free time he enjoys, sailing, fishing, camping and playing soccer.

Nausc rigging specialty program Nausc cold cutting specialty program Nausc controlled bolting specialty program OFA level 1   Jerry joined UAPICBC in 2021. He worked for over 35 years as a steamfitter and gas B gasfitter. He primarily worked with stainless steel, titanium, and nickel alloys. He has been a member of UA Local 170 since 1988. After taking some time off, Jerry decided to become an instructor. He was a baseball coach for many years, and the transition to teaching felt natural to him. When not in his classroom, Jerry enjoys traveling, skiing, and spending time with his family.

OFA Level 1 Andrey is from Bulgaria and joined UAPICBC in 2021. He worked for 25 years in welding in various roles such as welder, fabricator, and welding supervisor. He also ran his own business for 4 years before finding his true calling in teaching. In his spare time, Andrey likes to spend time with his family and enjoys the outdoors, hiking and camping.

Stephen completed both his welding and metal fabrications in 2008 and 2009, he has 15 years of experience in the metal working industry as a metal fabricator, welder, and ironworker. He has been exposed to a wide variety of work that includes structural, architectural, mechanical, ornamental, and fine jewelry. He has worked in many different settings including industrial, commercial, residential, and film. He is a CSA certified welding inspector and an A Level welder with red seal endorsement; he also holds a TSBC Class A pressure certification. He and his lady operate a jewelry studio from their home where they produce bespoke hand-crafted jewelry in their free time. Stephen has developed a passion for teaching the next generation of tradespeople and enjoys sharing the skills needed for a successful career in their chosen industry. He looks forward to seeing you at UAPICBC!

Siamak Nazaris- ext.440 OFA level 1 Siamak is from Iran and joined UAPICBC in 2022. He is a certified millwright, and worked for 5 years as a CNC machinist, including in South Korea to train on welding robots for a car manufacturer. When he came to Canada, Siamak started working as a welder on various industrial, commercial and residential projects. He was also a welding inspector. He has 20 years of experience in the field. Siamak is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with our students. He teaches on both our Delta and Terrace campuses and is excited to see young people entering a trade where they can have a solid future and make a good living. During his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and dog, playing soccer and kayaking.

Originally from Ireland, Mark Donnery moved to Canada at a young age and quickly found his footing in two distinct but complementary worlds: gas and media production. He began his career in the gas industry straight out of high school while simultaneously nurturing his creative passion for media. After earning his Gas Certificate of Qualification (CofQ), Mark broadened his technical experience by working in production plants, where he gained valuable hands-on skills in machinery and operations. His journey eventually brought him back to the gas sector, where he joined a major gas utility and achieved his Class A Gas Certification. Mark brings a dynamic range of experience to UAPICBC, seamlessly balancing his roles as Construction Safety Officer (CSO), Safety Trainer for the JRD program, and in-house Media Producer. His diverse background allows him to wear many hats—and wear them well—contributing to both the safety and communications excellence of the organization.

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.

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.