SMART Local 104 and the Bay Area Industry Training Fund hosted the Western States Apprentice Contest on July 18-19, 2025, at its Livermore, California, training center. Sixteen apprentices from five locals participated in the first contest in the region since 2011. Another first: the addition of the project management category, which made its debut for the first time at any regional contest.

California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii make up the SMART Western States Region, and apprentices and coordinators from Local 104, Local 105 in Southern California, Local 206 in San Diego, Local 359 in Phoenix, Arizona, and Local 26 in Sparks, Nevada, were represented at the contest. Each training program was allowed to send one competitor per 300 apprentices.

The competition projects were divided into four categories: architectural, HVAC, industrial/welding and project management, which tested apprentices on their organizational skills and attention to detail in a leadership position.

To compete, apprentices worked long days designing a gutter system, fabricating and installing a duct system, and performing field verification and site measurement. Working side by side, then decompressing together after tasks, they were forging connections with other future industry leaders.

In the new project management category, Austin Cummings, a third-year apprentice at Local 105, placed first, with Alex Giroux of Local 104 earning second place and Rebecca Suen of Local 104 placing third.

In the architectural category, Esteban Mercado, a third-year apprentice at Local 104, took first place, and there was a three-way tie for second place: Trevor Baker of Local 104, along with Dillon Uhern and Richard Morrison, both of Local 105. Giroux came in third.

In the HVAC category, there was a tie for first place between Mercado and Morrison. Baker took second, and Uhern came in third.

For the industrial/welding category, Uhern took first place with Suen in second and Tristan Haynes of Local 104 in third place.

Scores from all categories were combined to award the overall winners, and the honor of first place overall went to Morrison, with Cummings in second place and Uhern in third.

“Coming out of it, I thought I did all right but didn’t expect this,” Morrison said. “I prayed a lot.”

After years with no regional contest, this one came together thanks to an apprentice contest grant from the International Training Institute (ITI). Milwaukee Tool, a longtime partner with the sheet metal industry, generously donated an array of prizes.

Tim Myres, administrator for Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104 and Bay Area Industry Training Fund, was a driving force behind restarting this contest, and training coordinator Nate Vennarucci and instructor Ben Alva, both from Local 104, put in the work to create and test the projects used in the contest, a process that began in October 2024.

Jason Ferguson, ITI field representative, was on hand to support the event and meet face-to-face with coordinators. He said the sense of accomplishment you feel as an instructor or coordinator, watching your apprentices succeed, is even greater than winning yourself.

“These apprentices are your future leaders, and today they’re getting to know others in the industry,” Ferguson said. “Intentional or not, they’re collaborating, they’re strengthening those relationships.”

SMART sheet metal apprentices from across Ontario gathered in Thunder Bay on September 11–12, 2024, participating in the 51st Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship Competition.

“We have apprentices from all over Ontario competing. They’re representing their locals and their contractors, and they’re doing a great job,” said Provincial Training Director Scott Wood on the day of the competition. “It’s a big trade, it’s a big industry, so we just like to really put it out there that we are looking for tradespeople, and we’re a really lucrative [trade] to be in.”

“They’re having a lot of fun, and it’s just a privilege to be here helping the apprentices move through their career,” added Local 47 Director of Training Stuart Simpson.

Fifteen apprentices underwent a theory test and a drafting test, but the marquee event was the shop component: building a model snowblower out of copper, complete with brass augers and a hand-made, one-inch Pittsburgh lock.

“[It’s] pretty difficult to do — working with copper is really, really hard, it’s very soft and scratches easily,” said Local 562 apprentice Sam Grant. “It’s pretty cool.”

Following the competition, apprentices gathered with local officers and fellow members for a dinner and awards presentation. Congratulations, all!

Locals represented: Local 30 (Toronto), Local 47 (Ottawa), Local 235 (Windsor), Local 269 (Kingston), Local 285 (Toronto), Local 397 (Thunder Bay), Local 473 (London), Local 537 (Hamilton) and Local 562 (Kitchener).

The Local 435 (Northern Fla.) JATC hosted the SMART Region III Apprenticeship Contest at its JATC on March 22–23, bringing together 27 contestants from nine local unions for a prestigious competition spanning two full days. The event showcased the talent and skills of appren­tices from Locals 85 (Atlanta, Ga.), 435, 5 (East Tenn.), 441 (Mobile, Ala.), 177 (Nashville, Tenn.), 15 (Central Fla.), 32 (Southern Fla.), 4 (Memphis, Tenn.) and 399 (South Carolina), with a particular focus on core knowledge, reading plans and specifications using Procore, hand sketching and a shop project.

The apprentices were divided into different categories based on their level of training, with second-, third- and fourth-year participants representing their respective local unions. Each portion of the competition provided a unique challenge, testing the apprentices’ abilities in different aspects of sheet metal work.

The core knowledge test gauged the members’ understanding of funda­mental principles and concepts in the field, ensuring they have a strong grasp of the basics. Reading plans and specifications using Procore required the apprentices to prove their proficiency in interpreting technical drawings and specifications — a crucial skill in the industry.

The hand sketch portion of the competition tested the apprentices’ creativity and ability to translate ideas onto paper, allowing them to display their design skills and attention to detail. Finally, the shop project segment challenged the apprentices to put their training into practice by completing a hands-on task, highlighting their practical skills and craftsmanship.

“Overall, the Region III Apprenticeship Contest was a valuable oppor­tunity for apprentices to demonstrate their talents, learn from one another and gain recognition for their hard work and dedication to the sheet metal trade,” concluded Local 435 Business Manager Lance Fout.

From September 12–14, during the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers’ and Roofers’ Conference, apprentices from nine different local unions gathered in Peterborough, Ontario, for the 50th annual Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship Competition. The challenge? Building copper replicas of the iconic Peterborough Lift Lock.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some new skills and meet some new people, and it’s a lot of fun,” said Local 537 (Hamilton, Ontario) apprentice Mackenzie Johnston.

Along with the conference and apprenticeship competition, SMART Army Canada was out in force: Dozens of members took to the streets for a cleanup of the Otonabee River and nearby Millennium Park, helping preserve Canada’s natural beauty and public spaces for the local community.

APPRENTICESHIP COMPETITION WINNERS:

  • First place: Kevin Berkmortel, Local 473 (London, Ontario)
  • Second place: Jamie Weir, Local 30 (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Third place: Aaron Woolley, Local 397 (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
  • Fourth place: Jacob Wiebe, Local 235 (Windsor, Ontario)
  • Fifth place: Austin Ducedre, Local 235 (Windsor, Ontario)
  • Congeniality award: Antonio Iezzi, Local 30 (Toronto, Ontario)