Sheet Metal Apprenticeships are a Successful Start to Rewarding Careers
College isn’t for everyone. Whether you’ve had the thought yourself or heard it from friends and family, chances are you’ve weighed the pros and cons of taking on a ton of debt, wondering if the job you will get can both pay it off and support a lifestyle you like. If going to college seems like a big gamble, it may not be the right choice for you.
Fortunately, there is an essential, rewarding and high-earning career path that doesn’t require taking on the massive student debt or the uncertainty of today’s job market. Becoming a sheet metal apprentice in the sheet metal trade is a smart alternative, allowing you to earn up to $250,000 in the first four to five years, taking a paycheck while learning in-demand skills in a highly desirable trade.
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeships have grown 128% since 2009 and offer a more hands-on approach compared to a traditional college education. Here are a few more details highlighting how sheet metal apprenticeships prepare a highly-skilled workforce to meet the talent needs of employers across diverse industries.
What does a sheet metal apprenticeship entail?
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- Apprenticeships are training programs lasting approximately four to five years where you’ll learn skills in the classroom part time, and apply those skills while getting paid in a hands-on, on-the-ground, work environment
- In the SMACNA/SMART Registered Apprenticeship program, you earn up to $250,000 over the course of a five-year program and you can take those skills anywhere in the country and remain employed – the skills are transferable with SMACNA/SMART
- Your career begins immediately with no tuition and no student debt
- Upon the completion of your apprenticeship, earn up to $87,500 in your first year after graduating, and as much as $120,000 - $200,000 in wages and benefits within four to five years
- Comprehensive benefits packages and working alongside industry experts
How do I know if a sheet metal apprenticeship is for me?
If you are the type of person that enjoys a challenge, likes working with their hands and is looking for a rewarding, life-long career, the sheet metal industry might be for you. For example, apprentice welder Seth Michael had always enjoyed working with his hands. After receiving his associate degree in welding technology, he became interested in a sheet metal apprenticeship. Seth describes working as a sheet metal apprentice as “Something new every day… I’m around great people that are here to teach me, and I learn something new every day.”
How can you learn more about a sheet metal apprenticeship?
Think you have what it takes to be an apprentice in the sheet metal industry? As one of the fastest-growing and highest paid trades, you are certain to find a rewarding, well-paying career. To learn more about apprenticeships in your area, click over to Training Center.
