Families Forge New Traditions Together in the Sheet Metal Trades

Their paths to the sheet metal trade began differently but reflect a broader shift: “The union was a really good alternative fit,” Monica Thompson said, having moved from aircraft mechanic to aesthetician to apprentice. For Sophia and Monica, the journey began together at a job fair at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Sophia remembers, “Within five minutes,” a SMACNA representative showed them how to apply. “By Monday, she was working in the apprenticeship. On Tuesday, her mother joined her.”

Meanwhile, in San Diego, both Josh Edgington and Junior already had some college credits in HVAC and were working construction when both realized, “the pay was stagnant and there were no benefits.” Josh Sr. said, “Who am I to tell him to go and do this and I’m not going to do it?” Now, the pair functions as a collaborative team. “It’s just cool to work with him and actually know what I’m doing,” Junior said.

Both families are now in their third year of apprenticeship, finding support in each other as they learn and work together. “We know how each other works, and we work well together… There’s no communication barriers, none,” Monica said.

Monica Thompson spent time as an aircraft mechanic in the Army, then later went to school to become an aesthetician – a completely different occupation but still working with her hands. After moving to the Albuquerque area, she found there were not that many positions in cosmetology.

“I did not want to do retail again,” Monica Thompson said. “The union was a really good alternative fit.”

Sophia Thompson entered college first and changed her major four times before earning an associate degree at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis. Her plan was to find a job and save money to go back to school.

“I now see myself in the union for the long term,” she said. “This is a career opportunity for sure.”

Both are currently working with Energy Balance and Integration, based in Albuquerque. When they get to work together, they say their styles complement each other: Monica Thompson, with more life experience, is less afraid of trying new ways of doing things, while her daughter can be a bit more tentative and regimented.

“We know how each other works, and we work well together,” Monica said. “There’s no communication barriers, none.”

Both mother and daughter have gravitated toward testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB), a specialty that requires a strong command of math to fine-tune the performance of HVAC systems. After apprenticeship, Sophia Thompson plans to finish a degree in engineering as well. She said more people her age should be made aware of the tuition-free training SMART offers, and recalled a recent conversation with two welding students at the community college her sister attends.

“I told them about the union program and they were baffled,” she said. “I explained it, but I don’t think they even believed me.”

In September, the mother-daughter duo attended Tradeswomen Build Nations in Chicago, to represent the sheet metal industry at the largest gathering of unionized tradeswomen in the world.

Meanwhile, in San Diego, it was the elder Josh Edgington who urged his son, who goes by Junior, to join the union. Both had some college credits in HVAC and were working together in construction, but they noticed the pay was stagnant and there were no benefits.

“I told him, ‘Go make something of your life, join a union, get into HVAC, it’s a good trade with a lot of opportunity,’” recalled Josh Edgington. “Then, to be honest, I joined because he joined. I started thinking, ‘Who am I to tell him to go and do this and I’m not going to do it?’”

Josh Edgington says he keeps his “dad hat” on all the time, and his parental instinct was in full gear as he showed Junior Edgington how to safely navigate the jobsite. Now, in their third year of apprenticeship, the father and son function more like a collaborative team.

“I got my feet wet in the shop and then got to jump in with my dad,” the younger Edgington said. “It’s just cool to work with him and actually know what I’m doing.”

When asked if his son has taught him anything, the father laughed and said “patience!”

“I’ve taught him a bunch of stuff, yeah. Like, that he’s not always right – there’s different ways to do stuff,” Junior Edgington added.

The contractor they work for specializes in high-rises, which take up to two years to complete. With many high-rises going up in San Diego, both feel like they will enjoy a stable, rewarding career. Josh Edgington will finish apprenticeship first, thanks to earning some meritorious advancement in the program. He aims to become a foreperson, while his son is looking forward to getting more experience and becoming a well-rounded journeyperson. Josh Edgington said he’s proud to be union now, but even more proud that he got his son in, and on the right path, at an early age.

“I’ve taught him most of his life, it’s time for him to veer off and learn from better teachers now,” he said.

Apprentices receive training in AutoCAD, air balancing, refrigeration/service, welding and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) design, fabrication and installation. While they are learning in the classroom, they are gaining skills on the job site including installation of architectural sheet metal, kitchen equipment and duct for heating and air conditioning systems in residential and commercial buildings.

The goal is for apprentices to graduate with zero tuition debt and a career to last a lifetime. More than 14,000 apprentices participate in 150 training centers across the United States and Canada, learning curriculum and using the free training materials provided by the ITI.

For more information about the ITI and its available training curriculum for members covering sheet metal trade work, visit the website or call 703-739-7200.