Sheet metal plays a vital role in our daily life and is everywhere around us: heating and cooling systems, building exteriors and even technology like fire life safety components and medical equipment. Megaprojects, many of which include new plants and factories, are springing up across America. These require specialized heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems — some also need systems that provide refrigeration and dehumidification. Sheet metal workers make all this possible, and they are in demand.
WHAT IS SHEET METAL
The term “sheet metal” refers to any metal that can be formed into flat pieces of varying thicknesses. Thick metals are called plate. Metals used in the sheet metal industry include cold rolled steel, mild steel, stainless steel, tin, nickel, titanium, aluminum, brass and copper.
Designing, fabricating and installing systems made from thin sheets of metal, as well as inspecting and repairing these systems, is at the core of sheet metal work. Using specialized tools, sheet metal workers cut, roll, bend, and shape metal to make a wide variety of objects — ductwork, cabinets, building facades, signs, exhaust hoods or even decorative art.
Whether using the latest digital imaging tools, working out air-flow equations for a hospital wing or installing panels on a skyscraper, the job site is never dull. A sheet metal worker can choose from a variety of pathways. Select an image to learn more.
HVAC
Detailing
Industrial/Welding
Service/Refrigeration
Testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TAB)
Sheet metal apprenticeship opens up a wide selection of careers without requiring a college degree. Though many workers find their way into the trade after some time in college or in military service, no higher education is required to begin training. Once accepted into an apprenticeship, you earn a living wage that grows with you during the five-year program to become a journey-level worker.