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Sheet metal construction camp designed for young women

Tri-Counties Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship Program in Ventura, Calif., held a MAGIC (Mentor A Girl In Construction) camp the week of July 15, where junior and senior girls from local high schools participated in five days of hands-on construction. The camp was sponsored by the National Association of Women in Construction's Ventura/Oxnard and Simi/Conejo Valley chapters.

David Maquinalez, an instructor and training coordinator with the Tri-Counties Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship Program, provided a comprehensive, hands-on session to students who fabricated their own toolbox from several precut pieces of sheet metal.

"A career in the sheet metal industry can be a lucrative profession for women as it offers a great work environment, above average wages, and creativity with the opportunity to grow into a number of different fields," Maquinalez said.

The program maintains and operates a state-of-the-art facility and accepts individuals 18 years of age and older to train with craftsmen. Apprentices must complete 800 hours of classroom training and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training to become journeyman sheet metal workers, allowing them to earn while they learn.

Trades include heating, ventilating, air conditioning, architectural sheet metal, industrial sheet metal, kitchen equipment, specialty stainless steel work, custom fabricating, service, siding and decking, testing and balancing, and energy management and maintenance.