CAROL STREAM, Ill. - Three students of Sheet Metal Workers Local
265 in Carol Stream, Ill., won first place honors at the 35th Annual
International Apprenticeship Contest held in Indianapolis, March 20 to
23.
Justin Gotsch, 24, of Hinkley, Ill., who works for Wiesbrook
Sheet Metal in Plainfield, Ill, is a 5th year HVAC Service
Apprentice. He competed in the Service competition.
Brian Dahlman, 24, of New Lenox, Ill., is a 5th year
Sheet Metal Apprentice and works for Dahlman Sheet Metal in Frankfort, Ill. He
competed in Industrial/Welding.
David Wille, 25, of Harvard, Ill., works for
Metalmaster/Roofmaster in McHenry, Ill, and is a 3rd year Sheet
Metal Apprentice who competed in Architectural Sheet Metal.
Sheet Metal Workers Local 265 in Carol Stream serves apprentices
and journeymen from the entire northern Illinois area surrounding Lake and Cook
counties. Apprentices at the school undergo a five-year training program before
becoming journeymen sheet metal workers or HVAC service technicians.
Currently, there are about 325 students at the school, which also
offers training in safety, blueprint reading, residential installation of
furnaces and air conditioners, AutoCAD drawing, sheet metal layout and
fabrication, and commercial heating, air conditioning, and ventilation.
“We’re extremely proud to have three first place winners out of
more than 13,000 total apprentices in the international association,” said Joe
Remes, director of training at Local 265. “The success of our students at
this contest is due to the emphasis on the importance of training by our local
members and contractors.”
Every year students compete for local, then regional honors. This
year’s regional contest was held in Portage, Ind.
Winners of the regional contest go on to compete at the
international contest sponsored by the International Training Institute in
Alexandria, Va. This is the first time in the 35-year history of the
international contest that three students from one local have won first place.
“The students and instructors worked really hard preparing for
the competition, and the results show,” said Remes.
Further information about the union and its apprentice programs
can be obtained by calling 630-668-0110 or visiting www.smw265.org.
Publication
date:06/11/2007