ITI Technology Training

ITI to bolster apprenticeship training with support from Google.org

The International Training Institute (ITI) is pleased to announce a new initiative to expand, enhance and modernize portions of our training curriculum thanks to funding support from Google’s philanthropy, Google.org.

As the U.S. economy modernizes, various portions of the work completed by building trades members are evolving. Building the next generation of American infrastructure – from grid modernization to advanced manufacturing – requires a workforce fluent in digital tools and AI-driven diagnostics.

These changes are happening rapidly, creating a need for more skilled tradespeople and specialized vocational instructors to avoid a bottleneck that hinders long-term economic growth. Across the U.S., demand for highly trained, skilled tradesmen, including sheet metal, HVAC technicians, electricians and other trades, has reached an all-time high. While many recent graduates and early career workers are struggling to find sustainable employment, SMART and other building trades unions are creating a powerful engine for lucrative career opportunities that cannot be outsourced.

Across the U.S., demand for highly trained, skilled tradesmen, including sheet metal, HVAC technicians, electricians and other trades, has reached an all-time high. While many recent graduates and early career workers are struggling to find sustainable employment, SMART and other building trades unions are creating a powerful engine for lucrative career opportunities that cannot be outsourced.

“Investing in our workforce has been the key to our industry’s long-term success,” said Michael T. Harris, Executive Director, Sheet Metal Industry Institutes. “This Google.org support gives us the opportunity to rethink how we recruit, train, and retain the next generation of sheet metal workers while integrating advanced technologies into our curriculum and processes. It ensures our members have the skills and tools needed to succeed in the future of our industry.”

Providing skilled trades support

The new funding is part of Google’s expanded skilled trades support to help prepare more than 300,000 American workers across more than 20 states. The national $50 million commitment from Google.org’s AI Opportunity Fund goes directly to the training experts who build these programs from the ground up. By supporting ITI, this funding ensures our sheet metal apprentices and journeymen gain the skills and credentials needed to thrive in their careers.

“The skilled trades have always been the backbone of the American economy, and as technology evolves, so do the incredible opportunities for these essential workers,” said Maggie Johnson, Global Head of Google.org at Google. “We are incredibly proud to back the organizations leading this charge, ensuring the next generation of builders is equipped with the advanced tools they need to shape our country’s future. This initiative builds on Google’s long-standing commitment to training Americans for high-impact careers that create lasting opportunities for their families and communities.”

The sheet metal industry is already among the building trades leaders in innovative technology, which is used in every facet of the industry. New advances are consistently being developed to make members’ jobs safer and more efficient. Working with technology begins during the Registered Apprenticeship Program and continues through members’ careers through upgrade training. Some areas in which technology is utilized include:

  • Robotic Total Stations
  • 3D Laser Scanning
  • Virtual/Augmented Reality
  • 3D Printing
  • Robotic/Automated Equipment
  • Mobile Technology

To learn more about the apprenticeship opportunities in the sheet metal industry, visit sheetmetal-iti.org. If you are ready to get started, find the Sheet Metal JATC training center near you, and find specific information about the application process.

ITI supports more than 14,000 apprentices who are registered at local training facilities in the United States and Canada. The ITI is jointly sponsored by SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (formerly the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association), and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA).

ITI supports apprenticeship and advanced career training for union workers in the sheet metal industry by producing a standardized curriculum supported by a wide variety of training materials free of charge to apprentices and journeymen who work in the following specialized disciplines:

  • Architectural Sheet Metal
  • Building Information Modeling (BIM)
  • HVAC Service and Refrigeration
  • Commercial HVAC
  • Residential HVAC
  • Testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TAB)
  • Sign Industry
  • Roofing
  • Industrial/Welding

The International Training Institute (ITI) provides education resources, curriculum, and training support for sheet metal worker apprentices, instructors, and coordinators across the United States and Canada, supporting 146 Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATCs) and approximately 14,000 active apprentices. 

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