Groundbreaking took place Friday for the $15 million Hawaii Carpenters Union Training Center at the Kapolei Business Park.

The 56,400-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in February 2009. It will feature a 22,000-square-foot carpenter studio/wood shop, a large conference room, banquet accommodations. There will be 10 classrooms, including two larger ones dedicated for computer lab use, and for safety and health training courses such as first aid and CPR.

When completed, the training center will have the space and flexible amenities for apprenticeship training classes, continuing education programs for journey carpenters, and rooms for meetings, seminars and other gatherings for union contractors and members alike.

The contemporary multistory, multi-use facility was conceived and funded under the direction of the joint labor-management trustees of the Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund and the Hawaii Carpenters Drywall Training Fund.