At the end of July, third year students at SMART SM Local 12 (Southwestern Pennsylvania) had the opportunity to practice making and installing architectural sheet metal. After being divided into three parts, Group A, Group B, and Group C, each group of students was assigned a different application of architectural sheet metal to improve their daily learning through hands-on experience.
Team A was tasked with improving the sheet metal shop at the Local 12 training center, whose drywall walls were damaged due to a leaking roof. The students first had to safely remove the drywall, wood backing, and old, damaged insulation. Then, after the area was cleared, students sealed all openings and installed new insulation, new baseboards on two-foot centers, new metal groundwater, J-grooves and corrugated metal panels, and window treatments.
Meanwhile, local teams B and C are doing community service at local baseball/softball courts. The franchise at Sharmeen Park, home to the West View Ross Athletic Association in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, needed a few updates. Wood siding needs painting. The wooden ceiling has been removed, but still does not need the necessary replacement. The gutters are in dire need of improvement and the wooden soffits need to be covered.
In response, 12 local apprentices got to work quickly and efficiently: they installed new metal trim (J-channels, siding, panels) and vertical siding that covered the old wood siding. They also installed a corrugated metal rafter ceiling at the two-foot centers, metal sheathing for three shelters, and a corrugated metal roof.
The program provided all three groups of trainees with first-hand experience of installing architectural metal wall and roof systems in real-world conditions. Buildings are not as vertical, flat and square as they would ideally be, making them a perfect example of the conditions in which sheet metal workers work. In addition, students must build scaffolding to gain access to the work area, lay out the panel system to create a symmetrical look, install metal trim, cut out metal panels, and cut through any perforations that get in the way—all the obstacles they may encounter. place of future work. Students perform these tasks in a safe and efficient manner, helping them develop skills in the workplace and benefiting the community.
This experience was made possible by metal siding and metal roof panels donated by ATAS International, Inc. Local 12 decided to use these donated materials to help the West View Ross Athletic Association’s concession stand, which is in dire need of attention. Local 12 would also like to thank Miller, Thomas, Gjekis (deck builder), Pennsylvania Roofing Systems (deck builder), Business Manager Greg Blowes, Student Coordinator Joshua Moore, Instructors Mike Shields, Dan Lyons and John Naples, and Business Agent Jeff Foringer . Thanks to Kevin Mulley, Dan Maslow and Todd Deitrick for bringing this real learning activity to life.
Post time: Mar-22-2023