Academic Catalog

Apprenticeship - Sheet Metal

The program requirements have been updated effective Winter Quarter 2025. To view the requirements for Summer Session 2024 and Fall Quarter 2024, refer to the Apprenticeship - Sheet Metal (summer and fall) listing. If you have any questions, please meet with a Foothill counselor.

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.

Learn more about the program on the Apprenticeship website.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students are 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. Depending upon 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 decking and siding.

Award Type(s)

  • AS = Associate in Science Degree
  • CA = Certificate of Achievement
  • CCC = Career Certificate [Non-Transcriptable]

Units Required

  • Major: 60-63
  • Certificate(s): 6-63

Associate Degree Requirements

English Proficiency
Select one of the following:
ENGL 1ACOMPOSITION & READING5
ENGL 1AHHONORS COMPOSITION & READING5
ESLL 26ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING5
or equivalent
Ethnic Studies
Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC
Mathematics Proficiency
College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra

A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:

  • Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • Core courses (57 units)
  • Support courses (3-6 units)
1

Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificate.

Core and Support Courses

Core Courses
APSM 101SMQ-1 TRADE INTRODUCTION3
APSM 102SMQ-2 CERTIFIED SAFETY & BEGINNING TRADE MATH3
APSM 103SMQ-3 SHEET METAL TOOLS & SHOP1.5
APSM 104SMQ-4 SOLDERING & COMMON SEAMS2
APSM 105SMQ-5 DRAFTING INTRODUCTION & VIEWS2.5
APSM 106SMQ-6 BEGINNING DUCT FITTINGS1.5
APSM 107SMQ-7 PARALLEL LINE FITTINGS1.5
APSM 108SMQ-8 TRIANGULATION FITTINGS1.5
APSM 109SMQ-9 RADIAL LINE LAY OUT & OGEE OFFSETS1.5
APSM 110SMQ-10 BASICS OF ARCHITECTURAL SHEET METAL2
APSM 111SMQ-11 ARCHITECTURAL SHEET METAL1.5
APSM 112SMQ-12 FIELD INSTALLATION2
APSM 113SMQ-13 WELDING 1: PROCESS & SAFETY OVERVIEW1.5
APSM 114SMQ-14 WELDING 2: GMAW1.5
APSM 116SMQ-16 PLANS & SPECIFICATIONS3
APSM 117SMQ-17 SUBMITTALS & SHOP DRAWINGS2.5
APSM 118SMQ-18 INDUSTRIAL & STAINLESS STEEL INTRODUCTION1.5
APSM 119SMQ-19 HVAC AIR SYSTEMS & DUCT DESIGN3
APSM 122SMQ-22 CODES & STANDARDS3
APSM 124SMQ-24 METAL ROOFING2
APSM 126SMQ-26 FOREMAN TRAINING2.5
APSM 127SMQ-27 BASIC AUTOCAD1.5
APSM 128SMQ-28 HVAC ENERGY CONSERVATION & ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY2.5
APSM 136SMQ-36 SERVICE BASICS2
APSM 159AINTRODUCTION TO TESTING ADJUSTING & BALANCING HVAC SYSTEMS2.5
APSM 175ATABB TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION2
APSM 177ATITLE 24 MECHANICAL ACCEPTANCE TESTING2.5
Support Courses
Select three courses from the following:3-6
SMQ-20 MEASURING & SKETCHING
SMQ-21 FABRICATION & SHORTCUTS
SMQ-25 DETAILING
SMQ-30 ADVANCED WELDING
SMQ-31 CAD DETAILING
SMQ-32 INTERMEDIATE CAD DETAILING THIRD PARTY
SMQ-33 ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL
Total Units60-63

Elective Courses

These courses are recommended to fulfill the additional elective requirements to reach 90 units for the degree as they augment the major:

CWE 60AOCCUPATIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE: APPRENTICE10.5

Note: Additionally, students who complete the core and support courses will satisfy Foothill GE Area III, Natural Sciences; Area IV, Social & Behavioral Sciences; Area V, Communication & Analytical Thinking; Area VI, United States Cultures & Communities; and Area VII, Lifelong Learning.

Certificate Requirements

Certificate of Achievement in Sheet Metal Building Trades

  • Units: 60-63

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]
APPR 188AORIENTATION; SAFETY & BEGINNING RESIDENTIAL SHEET METAL INSTALLATION (SPECIALIST 1A)1.5
APPR 188BRESIDENTIAL COMPONENTS IDENTIFICATION & INSTALLATION (SPECIALIST 1B)1.5
APPR 189ARESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS; DUCT & HVAC SYSTEMS (SPECIALIST 2A)1.5
APPR 189BPLANS & ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL SHEET METAL (SPECIALIST 2B)1.5
Total Units6

Currently offered at: Bay Area Sheet Metal JAC.