Sheet Metal Industry Offers Secure Career for Veterans
Through the years, Bay Area SMACNA has proudly made several generous donations to the SMART Heroes program in support of veteran development in our industry. This program trains military personnel who are nearly ready to transition to civilian life by providing an accelerated seven-week program. Located in Washington and Colorado, SMART Hero graduates can enter sheet metal apprenticeships anywhere in the country starting in their 2nd year. In addition, graduates can apply and potentially use their G.I. grant funds to help subsidize their rent and other costs of living during the early years of their apprenticeship. This can be a definite boon for those choosing to live in the costly Bay Area.
In the past five years, SMW Local 104 and Bay Area Industry Training Fund (JATC) has indentured three SMART Heroes into the apprenticeship program. The most recent graduate is Dillon Tanner.
Besides the SMART Heroes program, the JATC also receives referrals from Helmets to Hardhats and other sources. The JATC database tracks veterans who submit applications, with 29 self-identified veterans who have applied to work with District 1 since June of last year. Should they choose to, these applicants can also apply for the veterans’ interview with JATC labor and management representatives and potentially qualify for the direct entry program for faster apprenticeship indenture.
David Fordahl is a mainstay for all of the District 1 veterans’ interviews. He’s both a full-time instructor for the JATC and the veteran representative for the program. For more information on the resources available to veterans, visit the Veterans tab at smw104training.org.