For active-duty service members transitioning to civilian life, the SMART Sheet Metal Apprenticeship provides a structured and supportive pathway into the skilled trades. Our program offers veterans the opportunity to gain hands-on training, earn competitive wages, and build a long-term, stable career in the sheet metal industry.
At the Toledo Area Sheet Metal Workers JATC, we are proud to support our veterans by maintaining certification as an approved training center. This designation allows eligible veterans to utilize their Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits while completing their apprenticeship.
All military personnel must submit copies of their DD214 and follow the necessary steps to apply. Once all application requirements are satisfied, veteran applicants will be scheduled for an interview with our JATC Board. Veterans are a valuable asset to our training program and industry. We appreciate our Veteran Apprentices and Journeypersons at TASM JATC Local #33.
Apprenticeships offer a step-by-step path to mastery, reflecting the discipline veterans excel in.
Utilize technical and mechanical skills from your service in a hands-on trade.
Join teams and unions that mirror the camaraderie of military life.
Access high-paying jobs with robust benefits for financial peace of mind.
Contribute to essential projects that strengthen society.
Climb the ranks to positions like foreperson or project manager, gaining respect and rewards along the way.
The SMART Heroes program is a free, seven-week sheet metal pre-apprenticeship training program designed specifically for transitioning active-duty military members and veterans. This program provides industry training and a direct pathway into a SMART Union registered apprenticeship, giving participants an advantage in securing a stable and well-paying career in the sheet metal trade. Currently the SMART Heroes training programs are offered at Joint Base Lewis McChord in DuPont, Washington and Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Once the service member completes the program and is discharged from the military, they can qualify as a second-year apprentice at any one of the training centers across the country.
If there isn’t a SMART Heroes location near you, search for the SMART training center in your area or register on the Helmets to Hardhats website. The sheet metal industry has helped veterans nationwide build fulfilling careers, offering hands-on work and a strong sense of brotherhood and sisterhood that mirrors the camaraderie of military service.
