From Classroom to Construction Site: The Journey of a Sheet Metal Apprentice

Joshua Moore of the Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 12 and what it takes to become a sheet metal worker in the western Pennsylvania region.  Moore joins Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien of the Building PA Podcast to enlighten listeners and those interested in becoming a member of the sheet metal workers union.

Episode Transcript

Jon O'Brien (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to another episode of building
Pennsylvania.
A podcast series dedicated toPennsylvania is a construction
industry.
I am John O'Brien from theKeystone contractors
association,

Chris Martin (00:14):
And this is Chris Martin with Atlas Martin.

Jon O'Brien (00:16):
So we have a great episode for you today.
Um, as you may recall, we liketo focus on anything and
everything related to theindustry.
Anything from, you know, safety,construction, contracts, labor
relations, you know, all thatfun stuff, but we also want to
devote a lot of effort intoworkforce development and we're
excited to have with us today,uh, Joshua Moore from the sheet

(00:39):
metal workers union, local 12.

Chris Martin (00:42):
Welcome Josh.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks for having me today.

Jon O'Brien (00:46):
Jump into the meat of the episode here.
You just want to provide acouple minute introduction on
yourself just to let us know whowe're talking with.
Okay.

Chris Martin (00:55):
Yeah, sure.
I'm the apprenticeshipcoordinator for sheet metal
workers, local 12, uh,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but we
cover 23 counties in WesternPennsylvania.
Um, and I oversee theapprenticeship and training for
the load.

Jon O'Brien (01:08):
It's a big territory you got there.

Chris Martin (01:10):
Yeah, we do.
We cover quite a bit of a ofarea.
So, uh, you know, w we're we'relooking for people from, from
all around Western Pennsylvania

Jon O'Brien (01:19):
And our industry definitely needs people.

Chris Martin (01:21):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Recruitment is one of thetoughest challenges that we face
along with retention.
So, uh, it's, it's great to getsomething like this out here
where we can, uh, we can reachsome, some different, uh,
people.

Jon O'Brien (01:34):
Absolutely.
And part of our effort also isto work with, uh, local school
districts and, uh, K through 12educational, uh, school boards
across the state.
So for the benefit of thisaudience, you just want to
introduce,

Chris Martin (01:48):
You know, what, what is a sheet metal worker?
What exactly do they do?

Jon O'Brien (01:51):
What type of projects, you know, all that,
all that good stuff.

Chris Martin (01:54):
Uh, fortunately for a sheet metal worker, we, we
do a wide variety of things.
Uh, we have sheet metal workersthat, that don't touch sheet
metal.
Uh, you know, we have, we had,we have drafting people, we have
planning and ticketing.
We have estimating we have, andwe have welders, we have, uh,
uh, installers, we have allkinds of, uh, of people and jobs

(02:19):
within the sheet metal industry.
So it's not just specificallyone thing.

Jon O'Brien (02:23):
So since it's not just one thing, I assume that
training is more, it's prettycomplex and yeah,

Chris Martin (02:30):
Absolutely, absolutely.
We're looking, we're looking forpeople that are interested in
all kinds of different things.
Uh, our apprenticeship program,uh, offers people the
opportunity to pick a careerpath.
Uh, we're a five year program.
So they, they get to in theirfifth year kind of concentrate
on a particular, uh, sector ofthe industry, which benefits the

(02:51):
, uh, the member once they,

Jon O'Brien (02:53):
So, so it's a five year program.
Can you kind of walk us throughthe first year or two and you
know, that obviously the

Speaker 3 (03:00):
Workers are getting their feet wet and kind of
understanding the trade and theindustry.
I'm just kind of walk us throughthat process.
Yeah, sure.
We, uh,

Chris Martin (03:08):
We usually, well, we don't usually we do, we bring
apprentices in, in July.
Um, and that's when they starttheir first year of
apprenticeship.
Uh, we, we go to school for aweek.
It's we're a day school.
So you go to school for a week,then you're off for six weeks.
Then you come to school for aweek.
So you do that, uh, five times ayear.
Uh, so you, we get you for 200hours a year, uh, here at the

(03:32):
training center.
Um, but while you're intraining, you're, you're
eligible to receiveunemployment.
Uh, so you're not completely outof, of, of making a living as
you're getting trained.
So you, so you get paid whileyou learn.
Uh, no one is, is, uh, having tomiss out on, on making a living
while they're learning the trade.

(03:52):
So, uh, you don't have to bestill living at home.
You can be, uh, uh, someonethat's a different stages of
life and still become apernicious apprentice with local
12.
Uh, those first two years, uh,you're, you're in, you're in and
out of a shop.
You're, you're learning thetrade, you're getting, uh,
familiar with different aspectsof the trade.

(04:14):
So in those last couple of yearsof apprenticeship, you can kind
of concentrate on what you liked.
Um, and then after your fifthyear, you become a journeyman.
And obviously, you know, thesky's the limit once that
happened.

Speaker 3 (04:24):
When you say that a, an apprentice or someone applies
and it starts in July, do you,is it only a small window of
time for you to apply or is thata, do you accept applications
year out?

Chris Martin (04:37):
We accept applications year round.
Usually our deadline is the endof February is when we'll stop
accepting them because we haveto start, uh, scoring
applications, gettinginterviews, ready, getting
things, set up for the selectionprocess to get into the, uh, the
apprenticeship.
Um, but there's also a limitedapprenticeship that you can

(04:58):
apply for.
Whereas you're waiting to becomea first year apprentice and to
get into the program, you canwork as a limited apprentice.
Uh, what that means is you'relimited to a little bit of what
you're able to do.
Uh, so you're assigned to ashop.
You won't be out on job sites,uh, mainly because you haven't
received the proper OSHA, uh,training that you need to be on

(05:19):
those job sites.
So to keep you safe, they keepyou in the shop.
Uh, and that's something thatcan help you out when you do, uh
, go to your interview for your,your apprenticeship is that
you're already in with, uh,local 12, you're working towards
your apprenticeship and you'refamiliar with what we do.
It's a little different, huh?
Yeah, it's it is.

(05:40):
But it, it, uh, it, itdefinitely helps.
Uh, that's someone that you'reprobably going to retain as
someone that has done a limitedapprenticeship.
They've kind of already knowwhat they're getting into when
they get into theirapprenticeship.

Speaker 3 (05:52):
I, and I like the approach that you're taking,
where you're putting them in theshop before they're actually out
on the job.
So

Chris Martin (05:58):
That actually gives people a good
understanding.
One other question for you, andthen John, I'll hand it back
over to you.
Cause I know you have somequestions for those listeners
that don't know anything at allabout what a sheet metal metal,
or does.
Can you give a quick overview of, of what you guys work in HVHC

(06:21):
commercial, absolutelyresidential, those types of
things.
Um, most of our contractors are,um, commercial installers.
They do, uh, commercialinstallations of duct work.
Um, we do things like a hospitalwork, uh, buildings downtown.
We have a lot of work, fire,damper inspections, uh, things

(06:44):
like that.
Um, and then on the shop, wehave guys that, that actually
make the duck, uh, they ticketit, they run it through, they
make it, or the last tray thatactually takes a flat piece of
metal makes our own, uh, our ownproduct and installs it ourself.
Uh, we take it from the drawingboard all the way to the job
site and we do, we do it from,uh, from flat to finish.

(07:07):
So, uh, as you can imagine, thatopens up all kinds of different
career paths within sheet metal.

Jon O'Brien (07:14):
W you know, we all know this and we hear it all the
time, but every time I talk toschools and especially the
students, they get amazed whenthe first question is, okay, how
much is it going to cost me forthis program?
How much is it going to costthem free?
Yes.
Earn while you learn,

Chris Martin (07:30):
You gotta love that earn while you learn.
Uh, and this, this is, uh, the,the one thing that we do ask is,
is that you give us a little bitof time.
You don't compete against uswith the training that you
received.
I, I think that's a pretty fairdeal.
Uh, we ask that you, you workwith, with, with us and, and you

(07:52):
stay with us and, and whywouldn't you, uh, the benefits
are phenomenal.
Uh, the opportunities arephenomenal.
Um, I, myself, uh, sheet metalhas been been wonderful to me
and my family.
And it's a, it's been evenbetter since it's it's with a
union contractor.

Jon O'Brien (08:09):
Absolutely.
And since you mentionedbenefits, could you touch on
that kind of briefly?
Yeah,

Chris Martin (08:13):
Absolutely.
A first year apprentice startsout at 2084.
Um, when a sheet metal workergets out of his or her
apprenticeship right now,they're making 36, 21 that's
with full benefits, that'smedical, dental, vision,
annuity, pension.
Uh, we have, uh, uh, we have abenefit which is known as

(08:34):
sashimi that you put into everyhour.
Um, and what that is, is that isif, if, if you were to ever get
laid off, you would be able todraw from that fund either,
either, uh, monetarily for billsor for medical benefits.
If you ran out of hours and youneeded to supplement those those

(08:57):
hours too, to continue to keepyour medical benefits, you're
able to do so.
Uh, and if you don't use thatmoney, we are one of the last to
have 30, 55.
So if you have 30 years ofservice and you're age 55, you
can retire, you can then takethat sashimi to supplement your
healthcare and pay for thathealthcare while you're retired

(09:18):
until you're eligible for socialsecurity.
So that's a wonderful benefitthat a lot of people don't think
about, uh, as they're younger,because they're not looking at
that, but, uh, that's somethingthat is great for a sheet metal
worker.
Yeah,

Jon O'Brien (09:33):
That is awesome.
Wow, that's fantastic.

Chris Martin (09:36):
Um, we, we just, uh, you know, why anyone would
want to go any other direction,uh, is, is just, it blows my
mind.
So Josh, can you repeat that?

Jon O'Brien (09:48):
The wages again for a starting apprentice it's,

Chris Martin (09:52):
Uh, right now starting apprentice first year
apprentices at 2084.
Uh, and when they get out oftheir apprenticeship, they're at
36, 21, that's a negotiated wagethat will change yearly under
this four year contract.
So next year they'll get a raisethe following year, they'll get
another raise.
Uh, so w we try to stay in linewith, you know, kind of what the

(10:13):
cost of living, because that'swhat we do.
We work and live here in thecommunity.

Jon O'Brien (10:18):
So you're probably seeing all, all sorts of
students.
You've touched a bunch, youknow, others, are there any sort
of traits that you see that makeone more successful than,

Chris Martin (10:29):
Uh, self motivators, someone that, uh,
knows what it takes to besuccessful with someone that is
able to motivate themselves toget up and come to work every
day.
Uh, these are, these are adultjobs that require you to be here
every day because they're,they're multimillion dollar
projects.
Uh, they're very important inthe contractors within this

(10:51):
local depend on you to be atwork.
Uh, that's, that's it, you know,the skills will come, uh, with
the training and the experience.
Uh, but, but some things likethat are very important for
someone to, uh, to, to beinvolved in, in, in, in the
construction of building traits.

Jon O'Brien (11:10):
Okay.
So, so picture this, you know,high school student, little
Johnny Johnny listed into this[inaudible], he's like, wow, the
benefits are awesome.
There's pay, earn while youlearn this all sounds amazing.
How do I get in, you know, I getin, hopefully I get in, in the
future, but is there anythingnow, while I'm in high school, I
could do to better positionmyself and better improve my

(11:32):
chances of getting in with thesheet metal workers

Chris Martin (11:36):
Being, being proficient in math obviously is,
is very important in anybuilding trade.
Um, but, uh, some, some, someHVHC experience, you know, uh,
some welding shop experience,uh, things like that can, can
really help out, uh, when youcome to apply for your
apprenticeship.

Jon O'Brien (11:56):
Okay.
And is there a, uh, a goodwebsite or contact information
for more information?

Chris Martin (12:02):
Um, you could go to SM local twelve.org, or you
could call my office at four onetwo eight two eight, 1386.

Jon O'Brien (12:11):
And you said there's 23 counties.
So are there other locals inPennsylvania?

Chris Martin (12:16):
Yes, there are.
There's a local 19 over inPhiladelphia and there's local
44, which runs the central partof Pennsylvania.

Jon O'Brien (12:24):
Any other closing statements you have concerning
workforce development oranything in general?

Chris Martin (12:30):
No, it's a right right now is a great time to be,
uh, uh, in, in the buildingtrades.
Um, we're, we're, we're growingand we're, we're doing big
things and doing great thingshere at local 12 week, we got a
new training center that'sgetting ready to open up.
Uh, we, we have, uh, some, somebig opportunities here at local
12, and we, we have appreciateyou guys including us today.

Jon O'Brien (12:53):
Absolutely.
We'll have to check, check backwith you every, uh, every so
often to see how it's going.
Absolutely.
Yeah, definitely.

Chris Martin (13:02):
Definitely.
Hey, Josh, thank you so much.
I'm sure that you literally havealmost eliminated the barriers
to, to, or obstacles I shouldsay to, to joining, uh, a union
opportunity there is, isfantastic.
So thanks to you and your, andyour, and your brothers.
And so thank you.

(13:22):
Thank you.
Yeah, we, we, uh, we're, we'regoing strong and, uh, we look
forward to, uh, seeing the newcandidates coming to join the
apprenticeship.
Alright,

Jon O'Brien (13:31):
Take care.
We'll talk later then.
Bye.
Bye.