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Nicole Severson

Local 18 (Milwaukee, Wis.) fourth-year apprentice Nicole Severson always knew she wanted to be part of a trade. Her father was a diesel mechanic, her brother a sheet metal worker, and her uncles worked as an elevator operator and a heavy equipment operator, respectively – giving her a thorough knowledge of the trades from a young age. Now, she’s making her family and her union proud as the most recent SMART winner of the NABTU Tradeswomen Heroes award.

“As her employer has noted, Nicole is a huge asset to [her] team,” Local 18 wrote when nominating Severson for the award. “She is extremely detailed, has a great attitude, and is always willing to give a helping hand.”

Despite her family background, Severson took an uncircuitous route to the unionized sheet metal trade. She initially worked in the finance world, completing an apprenticeship program in high school and spending 15 years working in various finance positions. At that point, though, she began to feel she had achieved all she could in that sphere; she reached out to her brother and began working as a dispatcher with a contracting firm.

“This opportunity gave her great insight into plumbing, electrical and HVAC,” said the NABTU press release announcing Severson’s award. “Her work on a daily basis with the commercial HVAC service technicians made her realize the diverse skill set of a service technician was what she was looking for in a career.”

Now, four years into her new vocation, Severson has proven to be a skilled, reliable and tenacious worker.

“Nicole is always looking for ways to improve her skillset through new challenges and asking questions,” Local 18 added. “Unlike some apprentices, Nicole is never intimidated by the equipment. Her background as a dispatcher has really helped us as an organization improve communication between the field and the office.”

SMART congratulates Nicole on this well-earned recognition!

Angela Poore

Fourth-year Local 18 apprentice Angela Poore received the September NABTU Tradeswomen Heroes award — a recognition of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin sheet metal worker’s perseverance, skill and dedication to her craft.

“She is hard-working, shows up on time and soaks things up like a sponge,” the Local 18 Milwaukee Joint Apprenticeship Committee said when nominating Angela for the award. “Angela…exemplifies a great employee.”

Angela’s journey to the unionized sheet metal industry was an unorthodox one. Born and raised on military bases, Angela and her family spent 11 years driving from state to state, including Kansas, Alaska and Texas — finding adventure on cross-country odysseys.

After settling in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Angela eventually moved out of her family home at 17 years old, working at two chiropractic offices for 15 years and starting her own cleaning business.

As is the case for many 21st-century American workers, though, an economy devoted less to working families and more to Wall Street made economic stability hard to find, and while researching other career options, Angela was introduced to sheet metal by her stepfather, a Local 18 business agent. She spent some time honing her math skills, then signed up as a pre-apprentice at 34 years old.

“It’s very intimidating being a female going into a ‘man’s world,’ but I realized that the guys I was working with were like anyone else at a job,” Angela said. “They taught me so much, they showed me the wrong and right ways of doing things.”

Having spent all four years of her apprenticeship at JM Brennan Co., Angela has been able to experience the camaraderie of working in a union shop — and she’s taken advantage of every mentorship and learning opportunity that has come her way.

“The best part, so far, is working with so many different foremen/ journeymen and learning their ways of doing things,” she noted. “It helps you find what way works best for you. I cannot wait to become a journeyperson or a foreman and see where this road takes me.”

The Local 18 Joint Apprenticeship Committee clearly feels the same way.

“Angela is always willing to take on new challenges,” the committee wrote in Angela’s nomination. “When Angela’s employer challenged the employees to differentiate themselves from others, she was the only one who approached her superintendent seeking guidance on improving her welding skills. Angela had always shown signs of success as a welder, but with this challenge took the opportunity to really focus and hone those skills.”

“We would be lucky to have more apprentices, and future journeyworkers, like Angela,” the committee concluded.

Congratulations, sister!

Teresa George has been a member of the SMART Transportation Division for 16 years. But her service extends beyond her time as a conductor; she has been connected with the railroad since December 1998.

“I started with the U.S. Army as an 88U (railway operations crewmember),” George explained. “I am now an instructor teaching the 88U MOS (Military Occupational Specialty).”

Since transitioning to the civilian railroad – she currently works for CSX – she has continued to flourish. Read more about her journey:

What unique strengths do you bring to your trade?

In [my career], I have shown that I, as a woman, am just as capable as others in my craft – if not more so than some of my male counterparts. In addition, I am proud to realize that I have made it easier for other females to follow [in my footsteps].

What do you love to do when you are not at work?

I am an avid comic book collector and love cycling. And of course, I enjoy teaching the 88U MOS for the U.S. Army.

Goals in the future — any ambitions or changes to your career, growth or education?

I look forward to being promoted permanently as a locomotive engineer. And I am presently working hard to prepare for retirement, when I plan to travel to every national park in the United States.

What surprised you about your trade?

I was very prepared for the railroad because of the military experience I have. But the lack of downtime was a bit frustrating at times.

What do you find frustrating about your job/trade?

[Trying to plan] for a life outside of work. I have no idea what I am going to be doing from week to week. I have a hard time being able to spend time with family or friends.

Tool you can’t live without?

I have two. One is my fellow union members who diligently work alongside me. The second is a good pair of boots with a hard, thick sole. They make a long day of pounding rocks easier.

Best advice you got as an apprentice?

Just hang in there. Time will go fast, and as you [progress], take advantage of the knowledge of those around you. Do your best to learn as much as you can and get better in your craft as you go.

What do you think about Tradeswomen Build Nations?

I think it’s awesome, bringing a spotlight on the fact that not all of the people in SMART are men. And that the women that are out there are talented, skilled and amazing union members.

Are you active in trade-related activities such as career fairs, volunteer work or SMART Army events?

I am a part of the MRS (Military Railroad Society). The MRS is keeping some of the rich military railroad history alive, and in 2021, we brought the Sgt. Santa train back to Fort Eustis – a holiday-themed ride for soldiers and their families that hadn’t happened since 1978.

SMART Heroes graduate and Local 100 member Giann Salicrup greets SMART GP Joseph Sellers

On November 7, SMART welcomed representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, Pfizer, PhRMA, the Ironworkers and SMART veterans from multiple branches of the United States military for a celebration of SMART Heroes — a partnership between SMART, SMACNA, Helmets to Hardhats and the International Training Institute that provides seven weeks of sheet metal industry training (equivalent to the first year of apprenticeship training) to active-duty U.S. military members and recent veterans.

As part of the event, current reservist, SMART Heroes graduate and SMART Local 100 (Washington, DC area) second-year apprentice Giann Salicrup presented a Squad Level Sponsor award and a Company Level Sponsor award to PhRMA President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Ubl and Pfizer Director of Government Relations Jim DeMay, respectively; a recognition of both organizations’ generous financial support for SMART Heroes.

“What a great marriage this is, in terms of military servicemembers matriculating into apprenticeship programs,” said Ubl when accepting his award. “Congratulations on this great program — we are proud to support it.”

“Not only does SMART Heroes afford servicemembers the chance to enter into an apprenticeship program with advanced placement, it’s giving that transitioning soldier a sense of security — a real job, a real career with benefits, retirement security, the ability to sustain their family.”

The event kicked off with remarks from SMART General President Joseph Sellers, who pointed out how programs like SMART Heroes provide a sense of stability not just for servicemembers and veterans, but for their families as well.

“When soldiers are transitioning out of the service, they’re not sure what to expect, where they’re going — do I have a job, will I have healthcare, will I be able to support my family?” Sellers said. “Not only does SMART Heroes afford servicemembers the chance to enter into an apprenticeship program with advanced placement, it’s giving that transitioning soldier a sense of security — a real job, a real career with benefits, retirement security, the ability to sustain their family.”

The Honorable James D. Rodriguez, assistant secretary for the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, echoed Sellers’ point about the importance of programs like SMART Heroes for the spouses and families of veterans. He also emphasized the Department of Labor’s commitment to partnering with unions to help servicemembers and veterans transition into the workforce.

“It’s a natural fit to want to go to an organization where servicemembers have a sense of camaraderie, teamwork, mission,” Rodriguez remarked. “We know that our veterans who participate in apprenticeship programs have financial security.”

“I’m just happy to be here, to be able to do this work with you all,” he added.

Watch coverage of the November SMART Heroes event in episode four of SMART News.

Other speakers included Eric Dean, president of the Ironworkers; Martin Helms, executive director of Helmets to Hardhats; and Michael Harris, administrator of the International Training Institute. Harris noted that the SMART Heroes program is approaching its fifth year of existence and is already nearing the 500-graduate benchmark — a remarkable achievement. Helms, meanwhile, explained that programs like SMART Heroes and Helmets to Hardhats really have one mission: “To change veterans’ lives. Making sure young individuals like Giann here have the opportunity to transition to these life-changing careers.”

SMART Director of Organizing Darrell Roberts, himself a veteran, concluded the event by thanking the attendees and praising the cooperation of all parties involved.

“It takes a village, and you’re all part of our village, so thank you very much,” he declared.

Last year, SMART, SMACNA and the International Training Institute (ITI) launched the Belonging and Excellence 4 All (BE4ALL) campaign. BE4ALL envisions a sheet metal industry where ALL workers and contractors feel seen, heard and welcomed. To achieve this vision, it is not enough to talk about it. We have to build it. To do this, the campaign has adopted a 10-point action plan. An important part of the action plan involves transforming how we relate to one another as workers and team members. Fundamentally, the goal is to help us all to be better human beings to one another. To make this vision a reality, our goal is to get every SMART member to commit to doing the work of individual meetings, relational diversity and intergroup contact.

“Fundamentally, the goal is to help us all to be better human beings to one another. To make this vision a reality, our goal is to get every SMART member to commit to doing the work of individual meetings, relational diversity and intergroup contact.

Research in the area of intergroup contact also supports the work of BE4ALL. Intergroup contact involves a person stepping out of their comfort zone in order to engage people who are different. Jennifer Eberhardt, a Stanford social psychologist and winner of the MacArthur Genius Grant, states that “[p]ersonal connections can override the power exerted by implicit bias.”

SMART General President Joseph Sellers spoke about the importance of this work at the SMART leadership conference in San Francisco last August. In a podcast session recorded with the leadership of SMACNA, he reminded participants that “we’re a craft of mentoring,” and stressed the importance of investing one-on-one time and energy in the emotional and technical growth of other members, particularly those with different lived experiences than our own. He also highlighted the need for us to get to know each other across lines of difference.

Individual Meetings

General President Sellers’ push around this work is supported by both research and practice. Veteran community organizer Michael Gecan makes the case for doing what he calls “individual meetings.” These are short conversations — around 30 minutes or so — in which we take the time to understand another person’s hopes, dreams, fears and why they do what they do. Gecan argues that “when you develop the habit of doing individual meetings, you stop thinking of people as ‘the poor’ or the ‘rich,’ or the ‘establishment’ or even ‘the enemy.’” Ultimately, these meetings allow us to see people beyond stereotypes and recognize them as full human beings, with all the diversity that comes with this.

Intergroup Contact
There are several ways to practice intergroup contact. In the workplace, the strategy may involve regular lunch meetings or check-ins with coworkers in which two people get to know each other beyond job titles and roles. In private life, intergroup contact could take the form of participating in a diverse social club or community association. The type of activity — whether a lunch meeting or community gathering — is less important than its characteristics. According to Professor Linda Tropp, for intergroup contact to be effective, contact between two or more people must have three core characteristics. First, the contact must be ongoing versus a one-shot deal. Second, it must be meaningful and substantive versus transactional. Third, it must be friendly and welcoming, not hostile. Tropp notes that when intergroup contact is practiced effectively, it facilitates several important outcomes, including an increase in psychological investment and a deepening of empathy.

Relational Diversity

In addition to the above research, a more recent study has introduced the practice of “relational diversity.” In a National Public Radio (NPR) article titled “Talking to strangers might make you happier …,” researchers note that the more diversity you add to your social circles, “the happier you are and the higher your well-being.” Bottom line: There are individual, group and workplace benefits to deepening relationships across lines of difference.

But let us be clear. Doing this work does not mean that all conflict will disappear. What it does suggest is that when conflict arises, people are more likely to give each other the benefit of the doubt. And they are more likely to have enough relational tissue with the other person that they can effectively work through conflict. That said, how does one practice individual meetings, relational diversity and intergroup contact?

The following are 12 questions or prompts that can be used in every day, one-on-one and small group situations. Think of them as conversation starters. They are:

1. What brought you into the sheet metal industry or this line of work? What keeps you here?

2. Where is home for you? Or where do you most feel at home? (Home does not have to be a geographic place.)

3. What’s the story behind your name?

4. What are your plans for the weekend? Or what did you do this past weekend?

5. What’s one thing you wanted to do and/or be when you were growing up?

6. What movies/television shows are you watching these days? Or what books are you reading? Are there any you would recommend?

7.What are your goals or resolutions for the new year?

8. Do you celebrate _________ holiday? If yes, how do you celebrate? If no, would you be willing to share why?

9. What music are you listening to these days? What’s the title of your “medicine” song or “motivation” song, that one song that does something to you whenever you hear it? What meaning does the song have for you?

10.If videoconferencing, say: “If you’re willing to share, I would love to know who the people are in the pictures behind you.” Or, “what’s the meaning behind the painting/ object I see on your desk?”

11.Who are the people who shaped and molded you into the person you are today?

12. How are you doing? Or, what’s going on? What’s one new or interesting thing that has happened in your work life or personal life over the past few days/weeks?

Imagine if we can get thousands of people across the sheet metal industry to do the work of individual meetings, relational diversity and intergroup contact, and to do it every day. It would be something never done before. It would be transformative. This is how we practice being better human beings to one another.

On November 15, 2022, the Railroad, Mechanical and Engineering (RME) Department, in conjunction with General Committee 2, held its first in-person local representative training class in more than two years. The training, which was revamped in 2022, focuses on claim/grievance and discipline handling. Seventeen attendees representing 13 local unions attended the day-long training, which outlined the responsibilities of the local representative and provided guidance for filing claims/grievances and preparing for and representing members during discipline investigations.

The response from attendees was positive. “The training was very informative,” said Chuck Mullins from Metro North in Harmon, New York.

Rex Moore from BNSF in Lincoln, Nebraska, added that “the training was great.”

The RME Department has increased its training budget in order to expand the number and frequency of trainings in 2023 and beyond. “Our goal is to provide this training on an ongoing basis for current and newly elected local representatives,” said SMART International Representative Joe Fraley.

International Representative Larry Holbert agreed, saying: “We are committed to providing future training to our local leaders, making sure that they have the knowledge, tools and skills necessary to perform their elected duties more effectively and efficiently.”

The RME Department has scheduled a training session in January on the West Coast for representatives in California, as well as a class in the Northeast in February. The third training session will be scheduled in the third quarter of the year, giving newly elected officers the opportunity to attend.

“This training is the cornerstone for our local reps, as they are the men and women on the front lines representing the membership on a daily basis,” explained General Chairperson John McCloskey. “All of our local unions are urged to participate in the training that is provided,” concluded General Committee 2 Financial Secretary- Treasurer/Assistant General Chairperson Jason Busolt. “As elected officers, it is our duty to ensure that we provide the highest level of representation to the men and women we represent.”

The National Mall in Washington, DC now prominently features a 12-foot-diameter, stainless steel memorial statue that was fabricated by SMART members and built to honor Native American veterans.

The National Museum of the American Indian dedicated the National Native American Veterans Memorial during a Veterans Day ceremony on November 11, 2022. The statue was built by SMART Local 124 (Okla.) members working at signatory contractor RedLand Sheet Metal, a Native American-owned shop in Oklahoma City.

Prior to the ceremony, on a rainy and windy day in the nation’s capital, more than 1,500 Native veterans and their families participated in a procession around the museum and onto the National Mall.

“We are a stainless steel custom fabrication company,” said Tammy Adams, president of RedLand and a member of the Choctaw Nation, following the dedication ceremony in DC. “We have been a union shop for about five years now. My father was a veteran of the Korean War — he was a Navy veteran. So, this was a passion project for us.”

In addition to being a signatory contractor and a Native-owned company, Adams says one half of RedLand’s employees are Native American.

“I did everything,” said RedLand stainless fabricator and Choctaw Nation member Lamar Lester, who is also a member of SMART Local 124. “I welded and put together the lances, added the rings to the lances. I was in on slip-rolling of the metal, the welding process, the grinding process.”

Watch coverage of the dedication ceremony in episode three of SMART News.

RedLand co-owner Henry Adams, who is a 40-year veteran of the sheet metal industry and married to Tammy, said the circular monument is made out of 3/8” steel plate, and its fabrication was not unlike some standard HVAC projects.

“The design is a lot like ductwork,” he said. “Those two sides that you see, you’re slip-rolling those sides the way you would a round reducer.”

During the memorial dedication ceremony, numerous speakers underscored how Native Americans have long served in the U.S. military at rates far higher than the national average for non-Natives.

“Native people fought for this country, a country, candidly, that occupied their homelands, disrespected their tribal sovereignty and confined their people to reservations,” said Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. “Yet, they fought in every major conflict for the last two centuries.”

Tammy Adams, Henry Adams and Lamar Lester all underscored how meaningful the memorial project was to them personally, both while they were working on it and now that it has been completed and installed.

“You know what this is going to mean to a lot of people,” said Henry. “And it’s going to be around as long as our country is.”

Tammy noted that it was “incredibly moving” to be in DC for the ceremonial procession and dedication. “It is a testament to Native veterans.”

Near the end of the dedication ceremony, just as the sun was setting in Washington, DC, statue designer Harvey Pratt lit the flames at the bottom of the circular statue. Pratt is a renowned Oklahoma-based Native American artist and member of both the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes.

“The deeper you get into it, the more the emotional attachment comes to it,” said Lester. “It’s the greatest project I’m ever going to have an opportunity to work on. And the further I get away from it, the more it means to me.”

Members of the SMART Rail, Mechanical and Engineering Department (MD) working for Union Tank Car Company (UTLX) in Valdosta, Georgia rallied for an informational picket on Friday, November 4 — demonstrating their solidarity and showing their willingness to fight for better working conditions. SMART MD is currently negotiating a new contract at UTLX; one that will address jobsite safety, proper training and more.

“The workers took a stand in solidarity and sent a clear message to the company that they will stand in support of each other as we work toward reaching an agreement worthy of ratification,” said Joe Fraley, SMART MD international representative. “Our internal committee has done an exceptional job growing the strength of this unit.”

The primary reason UTLX employees rallied, Fraley explained, was to demand fair treatment. UTLX has refused to reward seniority for common items such as bidding vacation or job openings and has resisted considering seniority when performing workforce reductions. Additionally, employees say, the company cuts corners and bends and breaks safety policies and procedures, putting profit over the well-being of its workers. Training, as well, is a huge issue for UTLX employees: Workers say that the company regularly directs recent hires — who have little to no experience — to train new workers, perpetuating the lack of focus on safety.

“These workers deserve and are ready to demand better,” Fraley said.

They did just that on November 4. Brandishing signs that read “Strike For Safety,” “I’m A Whistleblower,” “Don’t Lie to OSHA,” “Fair Contract Now” and more, the workers gathered at the UTLX gate, sending a strong message to the company and passing drivers.

SMART commends these workers for refusing to back down in the face of unfair treatment, and we will continue to stand with members working at UTLX as they negotiate the contract they have earned!

Vice President Kamala Harris visited the SMART Local 17 union hall in Boston on Wednesday, November 2, emphasizing the work SMART members will perform as part of the Biden administration’s push to lower energy costs. Harris announced a variety of steps the administration will take – part of the Inflation Reduction Act – to help working families stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer; many of which will create union jobs manufacturing, retrofitting and installing energy efficiency equipment.

The vice president was introduced by SM Local 17 member Shamaiah Turner, who proudly represented our union and the many boundary-breaking women and people of color in the union trades.

“The Inflation Reduction Act … pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of providing good jobs and a sustainable way to address the climate crisis,” Turner explained.

“Shamaiah, you represent the heart and soul of Local 17,” Harris said upon taking the stage. “Thank you for that introduction and all that you have done – and all that you have left to do.”

Local 17 member Shamaiah Turner introduced the vice president.

After thanking Local 17 sheet metal workers for their work building our nation, Harris outlined the Biden administration’s aim to “create millions of good-paying union jobs, to protect workers’ rights, to expand American manufacturing and to lower costs for American families.”

“One of the best ways a family can reduce the energy bill is to make their home more energy efficient. But here’s the challenge,” Harris added. “For many homeowners, energy efficiency upgrades are expensive. … And that is why we are investing $300 million right here in Massachusetts, and $13 billion nationwide, to help families upgrade their homes and to lower their monthly energy bills.”

As part of the White House’s plan to lower energy prices, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is providing $4.5 billion in assistance to help cut heating costs for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), helping families make necessary repairs and upgrades to their homes to increase energy efficiency. Additionally, the Department of Energy will allocate $9 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to support up to 1.6 million households nationwide in upgrading their homes to decrease energy bills, including by installing heating pumps – efficient technology that can heat and cool homes and buildings using half or a third of the energy used by traditional heating systems. Importantly, Harris noted, the labor standards included in the funding incentivize the use of skilled, certified workers to perform such upgrades.

“These investments will also create jobs. Jobs for electricians, who do the residential wiring. Jobs for laborers, who install energy efficient windows and doors. Jobs for sheet metal workers, who build and install electric heat pumps. Jobs for union workers who will be trained right here in this building.”

In a fact sheet released ahead of the event, the White House specifically directed stakeholders to BetterAirInBuildings.org – a resource that enables interested parties to find skilled, certified SMART workers and SMACNA contractors for their building needs. The administration also announced its intention to designate funding for workforce development and training, helping local communities and unions like SMART expand access to good, union jobs.

Thanks to multiemployer pension relief included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, approximately 1,600 SMART members in the Sheet Metal Workers Pension Fund based in Massillon, Ohio will have their pension cuts fully restored, including full earned benefit in their monthly checks moving forward.

“This is definitely going to solve our problem,” SMART Local 33 (northern Ohio) Business Rep. Jerry Durieux told local newspaper The Repository. “This is hope for the future, that’s for sure.”

Unions and pro-labor politicians had been pushing for multiemployer pension security – in the form of a special financial assistance fund – for years, with Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown introducing it in the Butch Lewis Act multiple times since 2017. Only once a pro-worker majority and presidential administration assumed elected office could the Act – named after a legendary Ohio Teamster – be passed into law as part of the American Rescue Plan. Together with other provisions in the legislation, including funding for indoor air quality, the American Rescue Plan is already proving to be one of the most groundbreaking laws ever passed for working Americans.

“After years of advocacy by workers, retirees, and small business owners in Ohio, Democrats in Congress and this Administration finally saved the pensions that union workers in Massillon earned over a lifetime, with no cuts,” said Senator Brown in a press release announcing the pension relief. “This pension fix will help local workers and the small businesses they work with to grow and continue providing living wages and dignified work for Ohioans.”

Funding from the legislation has already saved 550,306 pensions nationwide, with millions more eligible. Furthermore, along with pension restoration for retirees, pension protection funding in the American Rescue Plan will put the Ohio Sheet Metal Workers Pension Fund on the path to solvency going forward – helping to secure the future benefits of active SMART sheet metal workers.

Local 24’s (Columbus, Ohio) Josh Williams knows the meaning of hard work. As a union sheet metal worker and a business representative for his local, he’s spent years waking up before the crack of dawn, toiling under the sun on the jobsite and spending long nights on the road. But in Williams’ case, the willingness to put long hours into a rewarding vocation — and help others reach their full potential — didn’t originate on the job. For nearly two decades, preceding his career in the trade, Williams has fought and coached mixed martial arts (MMA).

“I took my first fight back in 2001, fought from 2001–2003, then I took more into a coaching role, and I’ve been coaching for about the past 20 years,” Williams said. “I’ve been able to bring not only everything I learned in the cage to the union, I’ve brought actual fighters to the union as well.”

Watch Josh Williams talk MMA and sheet metal in episode five of SMART News.

MMA — also referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred and ultimate fighting — is a particularly thrilling combat sport, notable for incorporating techniques from a huge variety of international competitive fighting styles. Combatants can employ moves and methods from Greco-Roman wrestling, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing and more; during a given fight, they may punch, kick, grapple and perform hand-to-hand ground fighting in a wide range of combinations. The result: a kinetic, brutal full-contact sport.

Local 24 currently has at least four members fighting MMA. That includes Daniel Spohn, an internationally renowned fighter with stints in the Ultimate Fighter and UFC. Spohn famously achieved one of the fastest knockouts in the history of the Ultimate Fighter with a 10-second win against Tyler King. Now, he’s continued his fighting career while simultaneously enjoying the family-sustaining pay and solidarity of a union sheet metal career. To Williams, that’s unsurprising: Experience in the cage transitions well to working in the sheet metal industry.

“[MMA] is real-time problem solving. It’s real-time problem solving with dire consequences: If you don’t figure out [the problem] right away, you’ll get punched in the head,” he explained. “If you can problem solve fast, efficiently and remain cool under fire, there’s nothing that [will] rile you up on a jobsite.”