Summer interns are placed with Bay Area SMACNA contractors participating inthe program. "The sheet metal industry offers well-paying jobs in manysectors that are often overlooked," said Gary Schwenk, Executive VicePresident of the Bay Area SMACNA organization. "Besides jobs in the heatingventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) business, there are also jobs inarchitectural metal design, manufacturing and specialty fabrication,commercial kitchens & equipment, systems testing & balance to name just afew as well as all the other viable careers that support the activities ofa construction contractor."

A former SMACNA summer intern alumni, Yindy Chow finished her degree inMechanical Engineering at CALPOLY and went to work as assistant projectengineer at Western Allied Mechanical in Menlo Park. She has receivedregular promotions, is now a Project Manager responsible for over$6,500,000 in mechanical contracting work, and describes her career as "notjust a career, but a lifetime experience that involves teamwork, ingenuity,and the opportunity for continuing learning and growth." "The SMACNAintern program is a terrific way to get exposure to the industry, learn awide range of skills and determine what makes the most sense for you," saidYindy Chow.

Over 350 students applied to intern in the SMACNA program last year and 56were hired for shop and field duties as well as office administration.Participating schools have included UC Berkeley, Cal State East Bay, SonomaState, San Jose State University, College of San Mateo, Cal StateUniversity Sacramento, Fremont Unified School District, Napa CommunityCollege, Santa Clara University, San Francisco State, UC Davis, Cal Poly,Chico State, and Laney College. The Intern program may also assist studentswho may benefit from a Bay Area SMACNA scholarship.

The Bay Area SMACNA Summer Intern Employment program starts on May 1 andruns through September 30 each year. Applicants must be students who areat least 16 years of age. Students under the age of 18 are required toobtain a work permit from their school and are not eligible to do shop orfield work. For student applications or more information, please contactBay Area SMACNA at 510-635-8212 or visit www.bayareasmacna.org

The rate of pay for a SMACNA intern is a minimum of $10.00 per hour,subject to negotiation between the intern and employer. As is the casewith most intern programs, there are no benefits paid. "The real benefitof course -- one that does pay off -- is the on-the-job training andexperience that translates into great opportunities for a career in theindustry," said Bob Tuck, who is on the Bay Area SMACNA Board of Directorsand is owner of Atlas Heating and Ventilating in Oakland. "We've mentoreddozens of SMACNA summer interns over the years and have actually hiredgraduates to work full time when they've completed their studies."

Bay Area SMACNA scholarship awards to deserving students have totaled over$80,000 over recent years. For more information on the scholarship programor to receive an application, please contact the Bay Area SMACNA office.

About SMACNA

The Bay Area Chapter of the Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors'National Association (SMACNA) works closely with the Sheet Metal WorkersInternational Association (SMWIA) Local 104 to champion standards forquality and safety in sheet metal construction. The Bay Area SMACNAchapter is the largest in the country with 151 members, employingapproximately 18,000 personnel.

Working together, sheet metal management and labor have a 100-year legacyof raising industry standards for construction quality and safety. Byproviding members with ongoing training and education, together they ensurethe highest caliber, most cost-effective work product, using the mostadvanced technologies, energy efficient systems and innovative design.

Sample sheet metal projects in the Bay Area include:

--  Green Building Construction Projects including the LEEDS Platinum    California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park--  Ventilation systems for the Olympic Club and the UC Berkeley Life    Sciences Building--  Skylights in the SF Ferry Building--  High tech clean rooms for Silicon Valley companies such as Genentech,    Oracle, and Intel--  Kitchen equipment for major hospital projects--  Metal cladding of building exteriors such as the copper exterior of    The De Young Museum in San Francisco--  HVAC for high-rise and mid-rise residential housing--  HVAC for tract housing projects for National home builders    

For more information about the Summer Intern program & to apply contact:

Nancy PirroneBay Area SMACNA510.635.8212npirrone@bayareasmacna.org