Sheet Metal Worker at Fox Valley Area Sheet Metal JAC
at Fox Valley Area Sheet Metal JAC in Neenah, WI
About This Program
The Fox Valley Area Sheet Metal JAC sponsors a union sheet metal worker apprenticeship in Neenah, WI. Operating as a Joint Apprenticeship Committee, this program brings together union employers and labor to train the next generation of skilled sheet metal workers in the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin.
This time-based apprenticeship runs five years and includes 8,000 hours of on-the-job training alongside 640 hours of related technical instruction. Apprentices learn to lay out, fabricate, and install sheet metal products including ductwork, HVAC systems, roofing components, and architectural metal details. Technical classes cover blueprint reading, applied mathematics, welding, and safety regulations. All apprentices are paid while training, with wage increases tied to program advancement.
Upon graduation, apprentices receive journey-level status as sheet metal workers — a union-recognized credential that opens doors across commercial and industrial construction. The Fox Valley region's active construction market provides solid employment opportunities for skilled journey-level sheet metal workers, along with pathways into supervision, estimating, and specialty fabrication work.
Wage & Training
Journeyman Wage
$26
OJT Hours
8,000
RTI Hours
640
Duration
5 years
Wage data is the national median for this occupation (BLS, May 2023), not specific to this program.
Sheet Metal Worker Career Outlook
National Median
$26.33/hr
~$54,766.4/yr
Apprentice Start
$16/hr
Earn while you learn
Job Outlook
Sheet metal worker employment is expected to grow steadily, driven by HVAC system demand in new construction and energy-efficiency retrofits. The transition to high-efficiency systems and commercial building upgrades creates ongoing need for skilled fabricators and installers. Workers with welding and CAD skills have the strongest prospects.
What to Expect as a Sheet Metal Worker Apprentice
Duration
5 years of combined on-the-job training and classroom instruction
On-the-Job Training
~32 hours/week of hands-on work under journeyman supervision (8,000 total hours)
Classroom Instruction
640 hours of related technical instruction (~128 hours/year)
Paid Training
You earn a wage from day one, starting at a percentage of the journeyman rate and increasing as you progress
Time-based program: You'll progress through the program based on completing a set number of hours in both on-the-job training and classroom instruction.
This is a union-affiliated program. Union apprenticeships typically offer strong benefits packages, pension contributions, and structured career advancement through the local hall.
Trade School vs. Apprenticeship for Sheet Metal Worker
Apprenticeship
Trade School
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