The Heavy Metal Summer Experience

The Northern California Valley Sheet Metal Industry Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (NCVSMJATC) has been providing exemplary training for S.M.A.R.T. Local Union 104 members and signatory employers for decades. Finding valuable applicants and providing career opportunities for the community has always been a high priority for the program.  In partnership with The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) the NCVSMJATC hosted a camp for recent high school graduates, The Heavy Metal Summer Experience (HMSE) for the second year. The HMSE is a fully immersive week exploring careers in the Sheet Metal, Piping, and Plumbing Trades.

Participants of the HMSE are between the ages of 15-19 years old and exploring alternatives to traditional college. The camp is one week and starts off with campers being outfitted with a new pair of work boots and receiving a tool bag filled with tools that are theirs to keep. Then it is a week of all things Sheet Metal. Alex Tiechner, Training Director says, “What is cool about this program is they get to live what we do for four days straight. Each day of the program they do a different aspect of our trade. One day is Sheet Metal Fabrication, they learn about design, fabrication and install. Another day they learn about welding. They do a service project where they learn what service techs do, electrical, refrigeration, high level applications.  Then apply that to a copper lamp project. They fit together copper pieces and solder them together and run wire through and make a lamp. On the final day they will do testing and balancing, our TABB instructor will show them what that is. At the end there’s a graduation, their parents are invited to come, our signatory contractors show up and it is kind of like an informal interview and could potentially lead to getting a job. Last year at least two participants got a job out of it.”

When asked, many camp participants shared what did the find valuable about the program - “It is nice to learn the metal side of things like how to form the metal and how ventilation works.” said Noah Dalmau. Elijah Hanson responded “Today was the best, the welding, it is not something you will grasp right away but can physically see yourself progressing.” Aiden Mahoney remarked, “The most valuable part was learning to operate the fork lift and scissor lift.” All in all they participants felt they learned valuable information for a career within the Sheet Metal Industry.

For more information on The Northern California Valley Sheet Metal Industry Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee visit: https://www.sheetmetaltraining.com/

For more information about the Heavy Metal Summer experience visit: https://www.hmse.org/

July 2024