Four active-duty members of the U.S. Army and two veterans graduated from the SMART Heroes program Monday, Sept. 8 at Western Washington Sheet Metal, 2725 Williamson Place, in DuPont. SMART Heroes allows active-duty service members and recent veterans to learn skills in HVAC, welding, fabrication and more, which can lead to a civilian career once they’re discharged from the military.
Graduates of this latest cohort include active-duty soldiers Staff Sgt. Steven Lebron, Sgt. 1st Class Jade Shevling, Spc. Gia Nguyen and Spc. Cameron Luckow of the U.S. Army, as well as Army veterans Spc. Nigel Cabolong Moreno and Spc. Ajoni Runnion-Bareford.
In order to graduate, participants completed the seven-week course, equivalent to their first-year sheet metal apprentice training (224 hours). Upon discharge from service, these graduates may choose to enter any of the 148 International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) apprenticeship programs in the United States and be provided direct entry and advanced placement as a second-year sheet metal apprentice, including a high probability of obtaining second-year apprentice wages and benefits.
Featured speakers and guests during the graduation included Devin Leingang, business manager for Sheet Metal Workers Local 66; Josh Moore, International Training Institute (ITI) field representative; and Julie Muller, SMACNA Western Washington executive vice president.
The curriculum for the SMART Heroes program was created by the ITI, the education arm of the unionized air conditioning and welding industry. The ITI, together with SMART and Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), developed the program in collaboration with Sheet Metal Workers Local 66, SMACNA Western Washington, and Western Washington Sheet Metal training center.
The first SMART Heroes program was launched in August 2017 in Washington and was established to provide free sheet metal industry training to active-duty U.S. military men and women who plan to enter the civilian life within the year and recent veterans, thereby assisting in a successful transition into the civilian workforce. The second location in Colorado Springs began offering the same training in August 2019.
Additional information on the SMART Heroes program can be found at www.smart-heroes.org or by calling the ITI at 703-739-7200.