Contest to include more than 325 participants from U.S., Canada
LAS VEGAS – More than 325 sheet metal apprentices and their families will come to Las Vegas March 15-18 to take part in the Annual International Sheet Metal Competition, which allows apprentices from throughout the United States and Canada to demonstrate their skills.
The competition will take place at Sheet Metal Local #88’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Center – located in Las Vegas at 2540 Marco Street, just off N. Nellis Blvd and E. Carey Ave.
Competitors will compete in five sheet metal disciplines including HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning), industrial/welding, service, architectural and TAB (Test Adjust Balance in heating and air conditioning). Each competition, no matter the discipline, consists of a written test, sketching projects, a shop project and a blueprint reading test.
“Sheet metal work is more than just a profession. It’s a skill and really, it’s an art,” said James Shoulders, executive administrator for ITI. “This annual contest provides a fun way to bring together the top talent from our JATCs throughout the United States and Canada to test their knowledge and show off their skills.”
Hosted by the International Training Institute (ITI), the contest itself will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, March 16-17. An awards banquet will follow at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 18, in the Octavius Ballroom 25 at Caesar’s Palace – located on the Las Vegas Strip at 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m.
Last year’s contest took place in St. Paul, Minn. In prior years, apprentices battled in regional competitions first, and the top 60 contestants continued on to the national competition. This will be the first competition with such a high number of apprentices gathered in one location.
More than 15,000 apprentices are registered at training facilities in the United States and Canada. The International Training Institute (best known as ITI) is jointly sponsored by Sheet Metal Worker’s International Association (SMWIA) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA). ITI offers apprenticeship and advanced career training for union workers in the sheet metal industry throughout the United States and Canada. Located in Alexandria, Va., ITI produces a standardized sheet metal curriculum supported by a wide variety of training materials free of charge to sheet metal apprentices and journeymen.
For more information about the contest or ITI, visit www.sheetmetal-iti.org or call 703-739-7200.