Bay Area SMACNA and SMWIA 104 Inaugurate New State-of-the-Art Vocational Training Center.

Business Editors

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2004

Sheet Metal Labor/Management Partnership to Cut Ribbon on

San Jose Apprenticeship Training Center

Thursday, April 29, local politicians and officials from the Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) and the Sheet Metal Worker's International Association (SMWIA) Local 104 will cut the ribbon on a new Apprenticeship Training Center in the heart of Silicon Valley. This new state-of-the-art training facility includes the latest sheet metal shaping and welding facilities, including an airflow test and balancing lab, the latest computer-aided engineering software, and "clean room" ventilation training. In addition to a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony from 4:00 to 4:30 pm, the Center will host demonstrations by sheet metal apprentices and their instructors from 4:30 to 8:00 pm.

The new SMACNA/SMWIA Apprenticeship Training Center covers 60,000 square feet with five shops and nine classrooms to accommodate 400 students. The facility is outfitted with the same hardware used in high-tech sheet metal shops, so apprentices can be trained in the latest techniques. The classrooms are also equipped with LCD projection screens, a wireless network to link computers throughout the facility, and multimedia systems that feature interactive programs to enhance the training of core skills such as drafting, welding and installation.

"Our industry work touches peoples' lives every day through residential comfort systems, custom sheet metal applications including new commercial kitchen installations and retrofits, high tech clean rooms, hospital operating suites, and a host of other applications," said Gary Schwenk, executive director of Bay Area SMACNA. "This new, state-of-the-art training facility has the latest tools to train the next generation of sheet metal workers and continue the SMACNA/SMWIA partnership's commitment to safety and quality -- 'standards set, standards met.'"

Among the unique features of the new Training Center is a lab to provide certification in ventilation testing, adjustment, and balancing (TAB), complete with a mezzanine that provides a 360-degree view of a complete ventilation system without the hazard of climbing a ladder. The Center, which was constructed with safety in mind, has a welding lab with 20 booths with individual ventilation and wiring, which allow instructors to cut the power in potentially dangerous situations. The Center also features a working clean room, complete with special filters and a ventilation system designed to push air particulates away from critical manufacturing processes.

"This Training Center is a testament to the changing nature of our profession," said Pat Pico, training coordinator for SMWIA Local 104 and the apprenticeship program. "Today's construction foreman no longer carries a clipboard but has a laptop computer and a cell phone. Every phase of sheet metal construction is managed electronically, allowing a sheet metal worker to draft three-dimensional ductwork, heating, and ventilation plans, which can be combined with electronic blueprint drawings from an architect and downloaded into a plasma cutter. This facility offers sheet metal apprentices the latest training in computer and construction techniques and safety using the latest tools. Working together, SMACNA and SMWIA are setting the standards for the future of the construction industry."

Students currently enrolled in the Bay Area SMACNA/SMWIA program range in age from 18 to 60, and include men and women. The apprenticeship program is structured to provide on-the-job training for new apprentices and continuing education for union members looking to brush up on the latest techniques and equipment. Students normally spend two nights a week at the Center, including one night in the classroom and one night gaining hands-on experience in the lab. The program is affiliated with Foothill College so apprentices can apply training toward a college degree.

About the Partnership: SMACNA and SMWIA

The Bay Area Chapter of the Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) and the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) Local 104 have recently joined forces to create an official partnership to champion standards for quality and safety in sheet metal construction. Working in tandem, sheet metal management and labor have a 100-year legacy of promoting industry standards for construction quality and safety. Under the common banner of "Standards Set, Standards Met," the partnership is currently leveraging dual programs for training, education, advocacy, and research to demonstrate the value of working with union contractors and workers.