Carol Duncan
This summer, I had the pleasure of joining Portland SMACNA for a Heavy Metal Summer Experience camp. The success of this program over the past couple of years has been nothing short of remarkable. This program is a great opportunity to give our young people chances to explore careers where they have access to superb medical care, wages and retirement benefits but also know they are responsible for working on projects that will stand the test of time and benefit their communities.
As I watched graduation, the first thing that struck me was the pride these young men and women felt. They had just spent a week working with their minds and hands and learning new skills. The families and loved ones in attendance echoed that sense of accomplishment. The feeling in that room was electric.
Heavy Metal Summer Experience offers these students a chance to learn more about our industry and the skilled trades. They had the opportunity to build tangible projects and to learn more about the pathway to a successful career in the skilled trades. Opening this career track is more critical than ever. With the shifting nature of the global economy, making an investment in college is becoming more difficult to justify than ever before. However, a career where you are responsible for building sustainable and enduring infrastructure that will stand the test of time is something that will never go out of style.
The demands being placed on our industry are like none other that I’ve encountered during my professional life. If you had told me when I started at General Sheet Metal that SMACNA contractors would be working on places that build electric vehicles or high-capacity microprocessors for supercomputers, I would have shaken my head in disbelief. But here we are.
To meet the demands of these massive projects, we need to put ourselves in a position to attract the best and the brightest. More importantly, we need to get the attention of this incredible talent pool as soon as possible. This is where programs such as Heavy Metal become more critical. First-hand exposure to the wonders of this industry is a win-win for everyone. We give these young people the exposure to a beneficial career path. At the same time, contractors can make early inroads in addressing their talent and workforce challenges.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to host a Heavy Metal camp, please consider it. You will not only be making a worthwhile investment in your business but also in the future of so many talented young men and women.
Carol Duncan, SMACNA President
