Filling a 20 Year Gap: Our Door Hardware Technician Course Is Coming Soon Nationwide

Every so often, a project comes along that doesn't just check a box it moves an entire trade forward.

That's exactly what happened when the International Finishing Trades Institute (iFTI) and Kelly Press came in to film our brand-new Door Hardware Technician Course, a curriculum built from the ground up by one of our own and now heading to glaziers across the United States and Canada.

We couldn't be prouder of the story behind it.

Born From a Master Capstone

This course started as the master capstone of our Glazing Coordinator, Angel Galloza.

To become a master instructor through the iFTI, candidates complete a capstone project, a demonstration of both their craft and their ability to teach it to the next generation. Angel chose to tackle one of the most technical, and most overlooked, areas of our trade: door hardware.

His work was so strong that the iFTI made a decision that goes far beyond a single certification. Rather than let the capstone live as a one-time project, they chose to take Angel's curriculum and build it into a full online course: one that will be delivered nationwide through the iFTI's Learning Management System (LMS). What began as one member's path to becoming a master instructor is now becoming a national training resource.

A Skill Our Industry Has Needed for Decades

Door hardware is one of those areas of the trade that is constantly evolving. The systems, the mechanisms, the standards — they change all the time, and the sheer number of products and nuances out there makes it one of the most technical aspects of glazing work. Yet advanced, standardized training on it has been almost impossible to come by.

That gap is exactly what this course is designed to close.

In the interview footage we captured during filming, our director of training spoke to just how significant this moment is, noting that this is something he has wanted to see in our industry for twenty years.

Two decades of recognizing a need, and now, thanks to Angel's work and the support of the iFTI, that need is finally being met. He also shared his pride in Angel and what this course represents for the future of the craft.

When a training leader with that much experience tells you a course is overdue by twenty years, you know it matters.

Expertise From Across North America

Filming wasn't a solo effort. We had the honor of hosting members of the IUPAT Glazing Committee, with journeymen and experts traveling in from across the United States and Canada to take part.

These are some of the most skilled people in the trade, and their involvement made the course stronger. They shared their expertise, offered feedback, and put their own hands to the work during the hands-on portions — bringing real-world perspective from every corner of the country. Having that range of voices and experience in the room ensured the final course reflects the trade as it's actually practiced nationwide, not just in one shop or one region.

In our interview video, class participants echoed the same thing: this was a great class, and the kind of training our members have been waiting for.

Built to Make Our Members More Advanced

At the heart of this project is a simple goal — we want our members to be the best-trained glaziers in the industry.

Door hardware is technical, detailed, and genuinely difficult to master. As the systems out there grow more complex, the glaziers who understand them become that much more valuable on the job. This course is our commitment to making sure our members aren't just keeping up with those changes, but staying ahead of them. It's about giving our people the advanced, specialized knowledge that sets union craftsmanship apart.

Coming Soon

The Door Hardware Technician Course will be available soon through the iFTI Learning Management System, ready to be taught to glaziers across the United States and Canada.

We want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who made this possible — the iFTI, Kelly Press for their outstanding filming, the district councils and IUPAT Glazing Committee members who traveled in to share their wisdom, and every participant who brought their skill and energy to the two days of filming.

And most of all, to Angel Galloza, thank you for turning a capstone into a course that will shape our trade for years to come. This is what union training is all about: our members lifting up the entire industry.

Stay tuned. This one's been a long time coming.

In solidarity, Your DC 11 Family
One Union. One Family. One Fight.