At sheet metal locals, the concentration of apprenticeships is still mostly, as the name implies, sheet metal-focused. Testing and balancing contractors do offer apprenticeships, but even though the trade’s gained increased visibility through energy crises and pandemics; it’s facing an unprecedented wave of retirements.

At SMACNA members like Fisher Balancing, there are more people heading into retirement than there are new union workers to fill their shoes. That pushes employers like Vice President Jennifer Lohr to think outside of the box with recruitment.