New Facility Expands Training Access in West Texas
SMART Local 49 JATC Sheet Metal Apprenticeship opened a new 9,000-square-foot training center in Lubbock, Texas, on July 24, expanding access to structured apprenticeship instruction for sheet metal workers across the region.
The facility is designed to support a broad training program that connects classroom instruction, hands-on practice and paid field experience. Training areas will prepare apprentices in layout, metal fabrication, welding, plasma cutting, HVAC service, troubleshooting, soldering, rigging and related skills used across the sheet metal industry. For Local 49, representing New Mexico and West Texas, the opening represents a major increase in regional training capacity. After an earlier Amarillo facility closed during an economic downturn, some West Texas apprentices traveled to Albuquerque for training and meetings.
Establishing a permanent center in Lubbock makes participation more accessible and gives instructors a stable environment in which to build consistent training.
This facility gives our apprentices a place to train with the tools, equipment and instruction they need to be successful in the field,” said Matthew Allen, Training Coordinator, SMART Local 49 JATC Sheet Metal Apprenticeship. “It also gives young people in West Texas a clearer pathway into a career where they can earn while they learn, build real skills and create a future for themselves and their families.”
Training the Full Scope of the Craft
Lead instructor Adrian Aguayo outlined a curriculum grounded in the fundamentals of the trade. Apprentices will begin with layout, reading plans, developing patterns, and cutting with precision. They will also be introduced to stick, MIG and TIG welding, plasma cutting, and HVAC service work, including troubleshooting, startup, and maintenance.
The International Training Institute (ITI) was represented at the grand opening by Welding Specialist Adam Smith and Regional Field Representative Trent London, who each delivered remarks recognizing the importance of the new facility and Local 49’s commitment to high-quality apprenticeship training in West Texas.
Their participation reflected iTi’s continued support for training programs that prepare apprentices to meet the changing demands of the sheet metal industry.
At this training center, we will teach everything from metal ductwork and custom stainless steel fabrication to detailed service work,” said Aguayo. “Every skill, every standard and every element of craftsmanship will be taught here.”
Aguayo brings a personal understanding of the apprenticeship model to his role. A second-generation sheet metal worker, he entered the trade shortly after high school, learned through the JATC system and developed into a skilled metal fabricator.
He now has the opportunity to guide apprentices through the same combination of technical instruction, jobsite learning and mentorship that shaped his career.
The center will also help apprentices understand the history and standards of the program, not only the mechanics of individual tasks. The objective is to graduate workers who can perform the work, understand why it must be done correctly and carry pride in the craft onto every jobsite.
Preparing Workers for an Evolving Industry
Local 49 leaders emphasized that training must keep pace with new technologies, changing regulations and increasingly complex projects. The center creates a regional base for developing workers who can adapt as building systems, fabrication methods and contractor needs continue to evolve.
“As our industries evolve, the demand for highly trained workers continues to grow,” said Local 49 President Richard Stoltenberg. “New technologies, changing regulations and increasingly complex projects require a workforce prepared not just for today’s challenges, but for tomorrow’s opportunities. This training center positions us to meet that demand.”
The relationship between school and field remains central to that preparation. Apprentices will continue learning on the job with signatory contractors while using the Lubbock center to develop and refine the technical knowledge behind their work.
This structure allows skills to be practiced, evaluated, and reinforced throughout the apprenticeship. The grand opening included live demonstrations and tours that showed guests the range of instruction planned for the facility.
The event also recognized the contributions of the JATC Board of Trustees, instructors, Local 49 leadership, signatory contractors and industry partners, including the International Training Institute.
The Lubbock center gives the JATC more than additional space. It provides a regional platform for consistent instruction, instructor development, recruitment partnerships and long-term program growth.
For apprentices, it offers a place to build competence and confidence. For the industry, it strengthens the pipeline of workers trained to a high standard.
As Aguayo told the apprentices, the ability to take a flat piece of metal and build something from it is one of the defining experiences of the craft. The new center ensures more West Texas apprentices will have the training, tools and guidance to do exactly that.
Learn more about the Local 49 apprenticeship program and its new Lubbock training capacity at smartlu49jatc.com.
About ITI
The International Training Institute (ITI) is the official training fund of SMART (Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Union), providing curriculum, instructor training, and apprenticeship support to 146 Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATCs) across the U.S. and Canada. Each year, Sheet Metal iTi helps train more than 14,000 active apprentices in skills ranging from metal fabrication and welding to HVAC installation and service — preparing the next generation of skilled trade professionals for careers in the sheet metal industry. To learn more about the sheet metal trade, visit our website. Find the SMART Local JATC near you here.
