Veterans Find New Path in Sheet Metal Trade as SMART Heroes Marks Seven Years

Mike Harris, administrator of the International Training Institute and co-creator of SMART Heroes, emphasized the crucial role of external support like DeWalt

HEROES: From left, Tommy Mumma, SMART Heroes instructor, and Kevin Moore, SMART Heroes graduate, both from Western Washington Sheet Metal join Josh Moore, ITI SMART Heroes specialist as well as Greg Daniels, SMART Heroes instructor, and Kurtis Mancuso, SMART Heroes graduate, both from SMART Local 9 in Colorado Springs, to recognize sponsors of the SMART Heroes program in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy of SMART)

A program that transforms military veterans into skilled sheet metal workers celebrated its achievements and recognized key sponsors at a reception last month, highlighting the success of more than 600 graduates who have traded military uniforms for trade tools.

The SMART Heroes Foundation, which has been operating since 2017, honored DeWalt as a gold sponsor during the November 18 event. The power tool manufacturer announced it would expand its partnership with the program in the coming year.

"Continue to fund these programs," urged Jon Howland, DeWalt's director of trade marketing and a Navy veteran. "They're so important." Howland pledged that if SMART Heroes opened a third location, DeWalt would supply it with products and tools.

The program, which began in Western Washington and expanded to Colorado Springs in 2019, offers veterans a concentrated seven-week course equivalent to the first year of sheet metal apprenticeship training. Graduates can then enter any of the 148 International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) apprenticeship programs nationwide with second-year status and corresponding benefits.

For some veterans, the program has been life-changing. Kurtis Mancuso, a recent graduate from Colorado Springs, found himself facing uncertainty when he learned of his upcoming fatherhood near his Army discharge date.

"SMART Heroes was the only program that kept reaching out to me," Mancuso said. "I am very, very thankful to the SMART Heroes program. Veterans need that. Without it, some of us don't do very good."

The program's success has caught the attention of prominent politicians. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut and U.S. Navy captain, attended the reception and praised the initiative, stating, "It's a model that other unions and other companies need to follow."

For many veterans, the program offers more than just technical training. Kevin Moore, a graduate from Western Washington, noted the familiar sense of community: "The veterans need this program. All veterans need is that same environment only without bullets flying at them."

The initiative has shown impressive results, with approximately 60% of graduates currently working in the trade across the United States, and an additional 5% eligible to join apprenticeships upon military discharge.

Mike Harris, administrator of the International Training Institute and co-creator of SMART Heroes, emphasized the crucial role of external support. "These veterans ... this is what this program is all about," Harris said. "But we can't do it without the support of our sponsors who help us fund these programs."

The program represents a collaborative effort between multiple organizations, including the International Training Institute, SMART, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA), and various local unions and training centers. It continues to serve as a bridge between military service and civilian careers, providing veterans with skilled trade opportunities across the nation.