Tiffannie Bond

ITI welcomes Darek Scarlavai, who has more than 10 years of experience teaching registered apprentices and journeypersons, and Pittsburgh veteran Joshua Moore as field staff representatives. 

Five years ago, the SMART Heroes program started giving veterans and active-duty military on the brink of transition to the civilian world in Western Washington a shot at a career as a sheet metal worker.

In 2017, as awareness of mental health and substance use disorder struggles increased, the unionized sheet metal industry launched its Helpline, operated around the clock by a licensed counselor.

The International Certification Board/Testing Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (ICB/TABB) Conference returned in person for the first time since 2019 April 25-27 at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Anaheim, California. 

Staff Sgt. Antonette Ventura’s path to becoming a sheet metal journey person took an unexpected detour when she was deployed to Saudi Arabia in late 2020, during the middle of her apprenticeship.

Months after the planned ribbon cutting was derailed by COVID-19, Local 71 of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) workers in Buffalo, New York, formally unveiled its newly expanded 19,000-square-foot training center.

Each high school student touring the Western Washington Sheet Metal training center on July 13 left with a miniature Jeep they helped fabricate themselves, a newfound appreciation for the rewards of a career in the trades, information on apprenticeships and a big smile.