Category: SMWTCS news

Since our last newsletter in the fall, we’ve had four – level 4 classes with 47 sheet metal apprentices wrap up their technical training at both the Main (Surrey) and Valley (Langley) locations:

2364V-H4 (October 3, 2023 – November 24, 2023)
2414M-H4 (January 8 – March 1, 2024)
2424M-H4 (March 4 – April 26, 2024)
2434-H4 (April 29 – June 21, 2024)

We are very proud of our Sheet Metal Level 4 grads for their class work and preparing for the Interprovincial Red Seal exams. Kudos to each apprentice for their dedication and hard work!

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Skilled Trades Certification (STC), also known as compulsory trades is now in effect in British Columbia, requiring tradespersons working in 7 electrical and mechanical trades. Employers are required to maintain a 2:1 apprentice to journeyperson supervision ratio for their workforce. STC will boost the credibility and prestige of the trades, leading to a highly skilled workforce.

As one of the identified trades, sheet metal workers are required to register as an apprentice or certified journeyperson or challenging their trade interprovincial (IP) exam. SMWTC has expanded to two facilities with more class offerings to meet industry demand for apprenticeship training.

SkilledTradesBC has both provincial and federal supports available to registered employers and apprentices. SkilledTradesBC has also enhanced their STC services to customers by:

• increasing apprenticeship training seats and certification support
• expanded Apprenticeship Advisors team to customize support for individual apprentices
• new dedicated team of Certification Advisors across province
• examination supports including webinars on best practices/strategies to succeed on the exams
• accommodation requests (e.g. translator, reader, additional time for exam)

Trade Qualifiers

Experienced workers with over 5 years’ experience and more than 9,000 verifiable workbased training hours may plan to challenge certification exams as Trade Qualifiers.

There are IP exam refresher courses available through training providers, including SMWTCS. Individuals with learning difficulties may be able to access one-on-one support and request accommodations arrangements.

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Welcome to our Fall 2023 Newsletter.

Would you like to have your art work published in our Newsletter?
We invite you to send your pictures to media@smwtcs.ca.

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View and download our Fall 2023 Newsletter:

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The 47th Annual Canadian Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Competition took place in Saskatoon (July 12 – 15, 2023). This year’s project was a replica of the American-Abell Steam Traction Engine from 1911, displayed in the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon.

Henry Derksen, from Century Plumbing and Heating Ltd., our Level 4 Apprentice Contest winner was selected to represent SMART Local Union 280. Another SMWTC graduate, Melanie Gregor-Payne was selected to represent Local 276. Congrats to both competitors! Check out this YouTube video to meet some of the competitors. Congratulations to all participants!

A return to normalcy! After a LONG hiatus since 2019 thanks to COVID restrictions, the SMWTC Annual Apprentice Contest will be hosted on November 25th at the Main facility.

The contest has apprentices from levels 1, 2, 3 & 4 competing with each other per level. In past years, Level 4 winners represented SMACNA & Local 280 at the Canadian Contest, hosted next year in Monton, NB – May 2024. Level 2 & 3 winners have represented SMWTC at Skills Canada BC Competition hosted at Tradex, in Abbotsford, BC – April 2024.

All competitors will receive door prizes donated by industry including a t-shirt. All level winners will receive a plaque and a Local 280 jacket to be presented at the January general meeting.

Invitations will be sent out to apprentices shortly. Space is limited and first come first serve. We have a limited number of contestant spots so if you don’t want to miss out, please RSVP to Astrid: astrid@smwtcs.ca by Friday, November 17th to reserve your spot!

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2342M-H4 (July 10 – September 1, 2023)

18 students conquered the extreme heat over the summer months! This was another outstanding class with 18/18 Level 4 Sheet Metal students successfully completing Level 4! The Interprovincial Red Seal exam results were good too. Well done everyone. Best of luck to each and every one of you!

Construction Foundation of BC Gateway project

This collaborative Skills Ready initiative has been a great opportunity to introduce women to sheet metal and build more diversity in our labour force. So far, ten women participated in this one day ‘bootcamp’ workshop taught by Sheila Sadler, a female journey. Several have been hired by contractors including Modern Niagara and Viaduct Sheet Metal Ltd.

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Indigenous People and Newcomers to Canada UTIP Advisory Committees

Building on the momentum of the Women in Sheet Metal Advisory Committee, in late November, we will launch the advisory committees for the other key groups targeted in our UTIP project: Indigenous People and Newcomers to Canada. Attendees will share their experiences and help shape equity, diversity and inclusion in the sheet metal industry. Watch for email invitations to RSVP.

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Tradeswomen Build Nations 2023

The largest gathering of tradeswomen in the world will take place on December 1-3 in Washington, D.C. The Tradeswomen Build Nations conference brings together women from across North America representing diverse trades. We will have 12 SMART Local 280 delegates attending this event to represent the sheet metal industry.

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Our training centres were visited by several prestigious guests over the last few months at both our facilities. Our new Valley training facility has increased our capacity to meet the growing demand for apprenticeship training led by industry demand and Skilled Trades Certification. However, we continue to seek additional funding ($750,000) needed for the last two phases of renovations, particularly the completion of the Valley welding department. These government officials and industry leaders learned more about the growing need for sheet metal training and puts SMWTC on the radar for potential funding in the future. These visits also spread the word that sheet metal is a great option for people choosing skilled trades as a rewarding career!

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Our partner, BC Building Trades identified key players in diverse trades to become youth trade ambassadors for the College of BC Building Trades. The youth trade ambassadors visited the Main training centre in Surrey on September 26th to learn more about sheet metal. They will be working with high school educators to schedule workshops with students interested in the trades.

Our recent journey, Nicole Pasqualini, Ridge Sheet Metal was one of the outstanding group of activists out for the 2023 BC Building Trades Youth Conference on October 16th ahead of the BCBT’s Constitutional Convention in Victoria! This is the future of the labour movement!!

 

Our partner, the Construction Foundation of British Columbia coordinated a skill-building workshop with residents onsite at a minimum-security healing centre on September 28, 2023. This was a great opportunity for residents to explore the sheet metal trade as a potential career choice. Sheila Sadler, sheet metal journey, assisted participants to craft “Carry Some” metal toolboxes. This initiative was hosted in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sep 30, 2023) to conduct outreach to the indigenous community.

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