蜜柚直播

Sun Mechanical Contracting Inc. offers sheet metal, HVAC and plumbing apprenticeships to its employees who then graduate from the program as journeymen.

鈥淎s the economy in 蜜柚直播 rebounds from the recession, the construction industry faces a challenge in hiring skilled labor,鈥� said Marc Kinseth, president of Sun Mechanical. 鈥淲e started the apprenticeship program in an effort to close the skilled labor gap while giving employees an incredible opportunity for advancement.鈥�

For 25-year-old Patrick Schlaefer, it was a way to learn a trade that could become a career.

鈥淚 got into the trade because I didn鈥檛 fully graduate high school and my father drilled into me, 鈥業f you don鈥檛 go to school you need something to fall back on,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淲hen the program presented itself, I realized it is school 鈥� college-level classes for construction.

鈥淚 learned formulas and layout skills.鈥�

The program takes about four years to complete and was created with the cooperation of the 蜜柚直播 Department of Commerce Apprenticeship Office and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are open to current Sun Mechanical employees and the process is competitive.

Every student receives a minimum of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 650 hours of classroom instruction.

Students then receive certification from the state and Department of Labor.

Schlaefer received his certification in sheet metal and has worked in various settings, including hospitals and buildings at the University of 蜜柚直播.

Army veteran Fabian Lopez, 37, worked with concrete jobs in Nogales after leaving the service in 2007.

After hearing about the apprentice program at Sun Metal, he applied.

鈥淭he program seemed like something that I couldn鈥檛 let go by,鈥� said Lopez, who got certified in HVAC. 鈥淚 put my 鈥楢鈥� tests on the fridge at home. I鈥檓 proud. It makes you feel good inside, like you鈥檙e a part of something.鈥�

A recent report by the Associated General Contractors of America shows the majority of firms are having a hard time filling hourly craft positions such as carpenters, electricians, laborers and painters.

Short-term, the report says, firms will hesitate to bid on construction projects for fear of not having the workforce to meet contractual obligations.

Long-term, construction companies will turn to new technology such as drones, robotics and GPS-guided equipment to compensate, thus eliminating these jobs for future generations.

鈥淔or companies, apprenticeship programs would mean that instead of waiting fruitlessly for skilled workers to walk in the door, they could build the workforce they need,鈥� Bloomberg said in a recent opinion piece. 鈥淕overnment鈥檚 role would be to supply enough money to help subsidize the salaries of the apprentices, certify that the apprenticeships meet certain minimum standards, push community colleges to align themselves with an apprenticeship movement, and help create a culture where apprenticeships are seen as a head-held-high alternative to a college degree.鈥�

Kinseth said that was the goal of starting the apprenticeship and in turn the company has loyal workers.

鈥淓mployees gain skills that make them more competent in their trades, and employers gain dedicated, skilled team members,鈥� he said.

Sun Mechanical was founded in 1977 as a 蜜柚直播-based plumbing company. Since then, the company has grown into a full-service mechanical contracting and construction firm in Southern 蜜柚直播, providing plumbing, piping, heating and ventilation, fabricated sheet metal, and more.

Linda Kinseth, the program鈥檚 training coordinator, said the company was looking for a way to stand out when recruiting new workers. Employees are paid for the apprenticeship.

About 23 employees have graduated from the program and 13 are currently enrolled, Kinseth said.

The apprenticeship is something Sun Mechanical points out when bidding on a job.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely something we include in our proposals,鈥� Kinseth said. 鈥淭he training is very extensive and reflects how important quality is for us.鈥�