Members of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) in Bakersfield, Calif, are taking unprecedented measures to help ensure that when the economy rebounds, their work force is ready with the latest knowledge at their disposal. Vern Shaffer, business representative and training coordinator for the training center at Sheet Metal Local 105 Bakersfield, is actively recruiting craftsmen and -women for the union's Green Building Pre-Apprenticeship Program and the Pink and Green Pre-Apprenticeship Program for women. The three-week programs are meant to introduce pre-ap-prentices to the expectations of apprenticeship and the soft skills needed to prepare them for apprenticeships, not only in sheet metal, but other building trades.
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