TRADE SECRETS: Hawai‘i Sheet Metal Workers Training FundSheet metal workers arelike sculptors. They bend, shape,roll and cut pieces of metal tocreate the pieces that go into everythingfrom air conditioning systems todownspouts to metal ornaments. “You’relike a craftsman,” says Rick Paulino.Paulino heads up the apprenticeshipprogram for the Hawai‘i Sheet MetalWorkers Training Fund. The trainingprogram lasts five years, during whichtime you accumulate 10,000 hours on thejob—which is paid—and 1,050 hoursin class. Honolulu Community Collegeoffers the classes, which cover everythingfrom the history of sheet metal work tosafety and blueprint reading.You’ve got to be good at math. Whilecalculators take away a lot of the mentalcalculation, Paulino says you still needto understand the concepts behind thenumbers. Useful classes in high schoolare algebra, geometry, practical physics,Learn how to use a nailgun and read a blueprint beforeyou even graduate from high school.At the <strong>Construction</strong> Academy, high schoolstudents are getting hands-on experienceand a great start in the industry.Founded in 2004, the academy offers highschool level classes as part of the Industrial& Engineering career pathway—one ofthe six College and Technical Education(CTE) pathways formed by the state’sDepartment of Education (DOE).Students can enter the academy as early astheir freshmanyear or as lateas their senioryear.mechanical drawing and metal shop.“I also tell students to take as muchEnglish as they can,” Paulino says.“Eventually, when you’re the front manof the company, you’ve got to know howto speak with the clients.”“It pays well and there’sa pot of gold at the endof your career.”A good work ethic and teamworkare other essentials. It’s an eight-hourworkday that starts at 7 a.m. You’reoften outside in the heat or working incramped spaces. Patience and care arevital to keep everyone safe on the job.“Like anything with construction, it’sdangerous, you get dirty, you’re in the sun,”Paulino says. But the rewards come fromthe satisfaction of a job well done and ahealthy paycheck at the end of the day.TRADE SECRETS: Hawai‘i <strong>Construction</strong> AcademyThis year, 16 high schools on O‘ahu havepartnered with Honolulu CommunityCollege and about 950 students areenrolled. Working with a DOE teacherand a HCC instructor, they learn basicsafety, how to operate tools, how tomeasure (twice!) and the right way tohammer a nail. They also explore differentcareers within the construction industry.At the end of the course, students buildreal-world projects such as children’splayhouses and storage sheds. Thishands-on approach requires studentsto apply skills in math, communication,construction technology, problem solvingand, most importantly, teamwork.Students earn elective credits forthe classes and have thechance to earn collegecredit, too.“It’s so hands-on,” saysacademy counselorErica Balbag-Gerard.“It pays well and there’s a pot of gold atthe end of your career,” Paulino says.Apprentices start out earning $12.32 anhour; a supervisor can make $38.50 anhour. On top of that, sheet metal workersget $22.24 an hour in fringe benefits,which includes your pension, medicaland so on.There are many opportunities foradvancement and movement into otherfacets of the job. A journeyman can workhis or her way up to become a foremanor supervisor. You can become a detailer(someone who works out exactly whatpieces are needed based on a set ofdrawings) or a computer-assisted-designoperator, or you can get into testing andbalancing or residential installation.“The possibilities are endless,”Paulino says.“The students get a real kick out ofoperating the tools, but they’re alsolooking at a piece of wood beingtransformed into something that haseveryday use.”The academy also offers a draftingtechnology class that teaches blueprintreading and design software. An electricityand electronics class is also in the pipeline.Academy students benefit from the built-incounseling services that Balbag-Gerardprovides. She covers the admissions processfor schools and apprenticeship programs.Students are shown how to write coverletters, resumes and how to put their bestfoot forward at interviews. Speakers fromthe different unions are also invited to talkto students about their jobs and take themon fieldtrips to see the industry in action.“These classes give students a real sense ofwhat the job is like,” Balbag-Gerard says.“It also opens them up to other careers inthe industry that they might not think ofat first.”16Photo: PacificResourcePartnershipFor more information on participatingschools, call.
Continued from page 11Q: What can someone in yourprofession expect to earn?A: An entry-level engineer withexperience of two years or less canexpect to earn in the range of $45,000 to$65,000, depending on their experienceand skill set.Q: What is your education andtraining background?A: I have a Bachelors of Science inCivil Engineering from the University ofArizona. Before that I went to ‘ĀhuimanuElementary, King Intermediate andPunahou.Q: How does your backgroundin engineering help yourwork as a superintendent?A: I believe my engineering backgroundhelps a little with the technologicalunderstanding of calculations; howevercollege helped me more to developproblem-solving skills.Q: What personal skills do youneed in your profession?A: There are obviously many traits anyemployer looks for in future employees.A few of the qualities are honesty, driveand to be a quick learner. At KiewitBuilding Group, we look for someonewho can communicate effectively withothers, applies what they learn and whois accountable for their actions anddecisions.Q: What advice can you offerto students interestedin entering the profession?A: When applying to colleges, try toget accepted into the school’s College ofEngineering. Contact Kiewit BuildingGroup for our internship program—thiscan be done as early as freshman year. Asklots of questions; when you understandthe “why” you can apply it to all aspects ofthe job. But, most importantly, you needto be passionate about construction.
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