Apprenticeship - Sheet Metal
Program Description
The Sheet Metal trade is unique as it is one of the few crafts that starts with raw material, creates a component, and installs and maintains the product. Using a combination of mathematics, layout tools, hammers, drills, plasma and laser beam cutting systems, computers, cutting, forming, seaming or welding machines, workers manipulate the material into the product desired. The maintenance sector includes preventive maintenance, repair, testing, balancing, and sometimes certification of the installed systems. Items commonly fabricated and installed include HVAC systems, metal roofs, kitchen hoods, various flashings, gutters, decorative architectural features, and many other items made of a variety of metals. It is an interesting and evolving field with exciting growth potential. The apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn program involving paid "full time" work and related classes.
Students who complete the core and support courses for the program will satisfy Foothill's local general education (GE) requirements for Area 1B, Oral Communication and Critical Thinking; Area 2, Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning; Area 4, Social and Behavioral Sciences; Area 5, Natural Sciences (with Laboratory); and Area 7, Lifelong Learning. To meet the requirements for the Associate in Science in Sheet Metal Building Trades, you will only need to complete three additional GE courses—to satisfy Area 1A, Area 3, and Area 6—and 21 units of Cooperative Work Experience (CWE).
Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to receive an Apprenticeship Completion Certificate from the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) and a Certificate of Achievement from Foothill College. Depending on the student's career interest and courses taken, graduates may find employment as a: sheet metal worker, site foreperson, superintendent, sheet metal shop fabricator, residential sheet metal journeyperson, sheet metal building inspector, welding inspector, sheet metal apprenticeship instructor, sheet metal detailer, sheet metal contractor, HVAC service technician, sheet metal ship yard worker, air conditioning specialist, or in decking and siding.
Learn more about the program on the Apprenticeship website.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will be prepared with the skills and expertise to detail, fabricate, and install a variety of sheet metal products in compliance with applicable standards and codes, aiming for optimum environmental and energy efficiency. These highly demanded skills are acquired through on-the-job training and lead to employment in the construction industry. After five years of classroom and work experience students are recognized as journeypersons within the sheet metal industry.
Career Opportunities
Upon completion of all course requirements and 6500 hours of related work experience, graduates will be recognized as specialist in the Sheet Metal Building Trades field. Graduates will be employable as sheet metal worker, site foreperson, superintendent, sheet metal shop fabricator, residential sheet metal journeyperson, sheet metal building inspector, welding inspector, sheet metal apprenticeship instructor, sheet metal detailer, sheet metal contractor, and sheet metal ship yard worker.
Award Type(s)
- AS = Associate in Science Degree
- CA = Certificate of Achievement
- CCC = Career Certificate [Non-Transcriptable]
Units Required
- Major: 59.5-63
- Certificate(s): 6-63
Associate Degree Requirements
A minimum of 90 units is required1 to complete the associate degree, including:
- Core and support courses for the major (59.5-63 units total)
- Completion of one of the following general education patterns:
- Foothill College General Education
- Summer Session 2025 only–CSU General Education Breadth (CSU GE Breadth)2
- Summer Session 2025 only–Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)2
- Beginning Fall Quarter 2025–California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)3
- 1
Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.
- 2
Summer Session 2025 is the final term during which CSU GE Breadth and IGETC may be used. Please see a counselor for more information.
- 3
Cal-GETC begins in Fall Quarter 2025. Please see a counselor for more information.
Note: A grade of "C" (or "P") or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificate. In addition, the student must obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Refer to the Associate in Arts & Associate in Science Degree Requirements page for complete information about graduation requirements and catalog rights.
Core and Support Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| APSM 101 | SMQ-1 TRADE INTRODUCTION | 3 |
| APSM 102 | SMQ-2 CERTIFIED SAFETY & BEGINNING TRADE MATH | 3 |
| APSM 103 | SMQ-3 SHEET METAL TOOLS & SHOP | 1.5 |
| APSM 104 | SMQ-4 SOLDERING & COMMON SEAMS | 2 |
| APSM 105 | SMQ-5 DRAFTING INTRODUCTION & VIEWS | 2.5 |
| APSM 106 | SMQ-6 BEGINNING DUCT FITTINGS | 1.5 |
| APSM 107 | SMQ-7 PARALLEL LINE FITTINGS | 1.5 |
| APSM 108 | SMQ-8 TRIANGULATION FITTINGS | 1.5 |
| APSM 109 | SMQ-9 RADIAL LINE LAY OUT & OGEE OFFSETS | 1.5 |
| APSM 110 | SMQ-10 BASICS OF ARCHITECTURAL SHEET METAL | 2 |
| APSM 111 | SMQ-11 ARCHITECTURAL SHEET METAL | 1.5 |
| APSM 112 | SMQ-12 FIELD INSTALLATION | 2 |
| APSM 113 | SMQ-13 WELDING 1: PROCESS & SAFETY OVERVIEW | 1.5 |
| APSM 114 | SMQ-14 WELDING 2: GMAW | 1.5 |
| APSM 116 | SMQ-16 PLANS & SPECIFICATIONS | 3 |
| APSM 117 | SMQ-17 SUBMITTALS & SHOP DRAWINGS | 2.5 |
| APSM 119 | SMQ-19 HVAC AIR SYSTEMS & DUCT DESIGN | 3 |
| APSM 122 | SMQ-22 CODES & STANDARDS | 3 |
| APSM 128 | SMQ-28 HVAC ENERGY CONSERVATION & ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY | 2.5 |
| APSM 133 | SMQ-33 ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL | 1.5 |
| APSM 136 | SMQ-36 SERVICE BASICS | 2 |
| APSM 159A | INTRODUCTION TO TESTING ADJUSTING & BALANCING HVAC SYSTEMS | 2.5 |
| APSM 175A | TABB TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION | 2 |
| APSM 177A | TITLE 24 MECHANICAL ACCEPTANCE TESTING | 2.5 |
| Support Courses | ||
| Select six courses from the following: | 8.5-12 | |
| SMQ-18 INDUSTRIAL & STAINLESS STEEL INTRODUCTION | ||
| SMQ-20 MEASURING & SKETCHING | ||
| SMQ-21 FABRICATION & SHORTCUTS | ||
| SMQ-24 METAL ROOFING | ||
| SMQ-25 DETAILING | ||
| SMQ-26 FOREMAN TRAINING | ||
| SMQ-27 BASIC AUTOCAD | ||
| SMQ-32 INTERMEDIATE CAD DETAILING THIRD PARTY | ||
| Total Units | 59.5-63 | |
Elective Course
This course is recommended to fulfill the additional elective requirements to reach 90 units for the degree as it augments the major:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CWE 60A | OCCUPATIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE: APPRENTICE | 10.5 |
Note: Additionally, students who complete the core and support courses will satisfy Foothill GE Area 1B, Oral Communication and Critical Thinking; Area 2, Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning; Area 4, Social and Behavioral Sciences; Area 5, Natural Sciences (with Laboratory); and Area 7, Lifelong Learning.
Certificate Requirements
Certificate of Achievement in Sheet Metal Building Trades
- Units: 59.5-63
The certificate of achievement is awarded upon completion of the core and support courses. General education courses are not required.
Currently offered at: Bay Area Sheet Metal JAC.
Sheet Metal Air Conditioning Specialist Career Certificate
- Units: 6 [Non-Transcriptable]
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| APPR 188A | ORIENTATION; SAFETY & BEGINNING RESIDENTIAL SHEET METAL INSTALLATION (SPECIALIST 1A) | 1.5 |
| APPR 188B | RESIDENTIAL COMPONENTS IDENTIFICATION & INSTALLATION (SPECIALIST 1B) | 1.5 |
| APPR 189A | RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS; DUCT & HVAC SYSTEMS (SPECIALIST 2A) | 1.5 |
| APPR 189B | PLANS & ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL SHEET METAL (SPECIALIST 2B) | 1.5 |
| Total Units | 6 | |
Currently offered at: Bay Area Sheet Metal JAC.