Training
Earn while
you learn.
Sheet metal is a compulsory, certified Red Seal trade (Ontario 308A). Local 397 holds the apprenticeship contracts, and members earn their Certificate of Qualification through a registered apprenticeship with in-school training at the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre — the investment that keeps our contractors competitive and our members in demand.
Apprenticeship
A Red Seal
career.
Apprenticeship is post-secondary education you get paid for. Sheet Metal Worker is a compulsory, inter-provincial Red Seal trade (Ontario 308A) — about 9,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus three eight-week in-school blocks. Technical training is delivered at the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre (OSMWTC) in Oakville, a joint union/OSMCA training centre, and leads to a Red Seal Certificate of Qualification.
~9,000 hrs
On-the-job training
3 blocks
Eight-week in-school
308A
Ontario trade code
Red Seal
Compulsory, interprovincial
What you need
Getting started.
- 01A high-school diploma (Grade 12) or equivalent
- 02Drop a résumé and proof of Grade 12 at the union hall
- 03Pass the aptitude test when the local needs apprentices
- 04A willingness to learn a skilled, certified trade
To apply, drop a résumé and proof of Grade 12 (or equivalent) at the union hall, 1135 Roland Street. When the local needs apprentices, it schedules an aptitude test — $25, about 3.5 hours, payable in advance by cash or cheque. To enter as a Sheeter/Decker, simply drop a résumé at the hall.
What you get
The payoff.
- 01The highest-quality classroom, on-the-job and safety training
- 02Earn while you learn, with wage step-ups at each level
- 03About 9,000 hours of paid on-the-job training
- 04A nationally recognized, compulsory Red Seal credential
Flat / built-up roofing is a voluntary trade — the Thunder Bay Roofing Apprenticeship Council holds those apprenticeship contracts. Contact the union if you are interested in roofing work — sheetmetal397@tbaytel.net.
Safety & upgrading
Summer 2026
safety schedule.
Safety and upgrading in Thunder Bay are run by Safety Coordinator Kevin Stadey (NCSO). Please ensure your training is up to date — renew your certifications before they expire to stay dispatch-ready.
Members must update their Working at Heights before it expires — three years from initial training. WHMIS refresher training is included with Working at Heights refresher classes.
Elevating Work Platform certification expires every three years. Sign up for a refresher — otherwise a full course will be required once the new law is enacted January 1, 2027.
Working at Heights Refresher
½ Day Class
- July 119 a.m. — 1 p.m.
Working at Heights Refresher
Evening Class
- August 195 p.m. — 9 p.m.
- September 235 p.m. — 9 p.m.
Forktruck
1 Day Class
- September 129 a.m. — 5 p.m.
Elevating Work Platform
½ Day Class
- August 89 a.m. — 1 p.m.
1st Aid
2 Day Class
- September 26 & 279 a.m. — 5 p.m.
Elevating Work Platform Refresher
Evening Class
- July 235 p.m. — 7 p.m.
- August 275 p.m. — 7 p.m.
- September 175 p.m. — 7 p.m.
Please send an email to sign up, or call and leave a message if necessary. If the class you select is full, Kevin will contact you to confirm an alternative training session.
Kevin Stadey, NCSO — safety coordinator
(807) 623-6014
safety@smw397.ca
Thunder Bay — union hall
1135 Roland Street
Thunder Bay ON P7B 5M5