(LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA) – Career-seekers no longer have to decide between college or the Building Trades because now at the Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104 and Bay Area Industry Training Fund, they can complete a five-year Apprenticeship and earn an Associate Degree, thanks to a partnership with Foothill College - free of charge.

Apprentices at all five programs in the Building Trades at the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers Sheet Metal Apprenticeship in Fairfield, Livermore, San Jose and Castroville - all in Northern California, became eligible last Summer, and testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) Apprentices will become eligible this Summer.

Building Trades Service Apprentices will be able to participate in the program within the year.

Local 104 and Bay Area Industry Training Fund partnered with Foothill College’s Apprenticeship Division in order to give Apprentices credit for five out of seven general education requirements and on-the-job training.

Three remaining courses - English, Humanities and Ethnic Studies, are taken by students during their free time either at the training facility or on-line.

All coursework toward the Associate Degree is free of charge to the Apprentice.

“We always say we’re Higher Education. You hear it all the time. This proves it,” said Tim Myres, who serves as Administrator for Local 104 and the Bay Area Industry Training Fund. “Now, we can say when you graduate our program you can have an Associate Degree as a Journeyperson.”

Although college credit was previously given to Apprentices for classes completed during the Apprenticeship Program, out of all the Building Trades only around five students a year for the last six years would take the extra steps to finish their Associate Degrees, said Chris Allen, dean of apprenticeship at Foothill College: “We’ve had two education systems running side by side for too long. It’s innovative work to shift the narrative that you have to choose between the Building Trades and college. This is the work we’ve been doing to really be in front of that. You have to educate the Educators, so they can educate the parents. I’m not trying to tell you to choose between the Apprenticeship and the college - I work for a college. You don’t have to step off one to do the other. You can do both, and we’re proving it.”

Eventually, the effort would like to offer continuing education classes for Journeypersons through Foothill College as well.

Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104 and Bay Area Industry Training Fund operates five training programs in Fairfield, Livermore, San Jose and Castroville - all in California, offering five-year Apprenticeship Programs in Building Trades Sheet Metal, Building Trades Service and testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TAB) technician.

Two-year programs include Air Conditioning Specialist and Service Technician Apprenticeships.

For More Information, Go To: https://smw104training.org/.