My Work My Future

08/22/2026

This is what learning a trade looks like.

Tools in hand. Sparks flying. Skills getting tested.

You don’t fake this stuff. You learn it by doing it.

08/12/2026

This is what opportunity looks like.

Big projects need skilled people, and Local 49 is making the call.

If you’re a licensed journeyman in New Mexico looking for solid work, strong training, and a crew that values the trade, this is worth checking out.

The work is here. Now we need the people to build it. 👊

BIG PROJECTS ARE STACKING UP. WE NEED PEOPLE.

Local 49 just dropped a new MEMBER REFERRAL PROGRAM, and you are our best source.

You know who's out there. If you know a New Mexico-licensed journeyman who shows up, knows the trade, doesn't cut corners, and can handle the grit of the jobsite, let's get them signed up!

💰 Get Your Cut

Earn up to $1,000 for each qualifying referral that meets the program requirements.

⏳ Don't Sit on the Referral

The program runs through December 31, 2026, and the Local 49 drive is limited to the first 100 qualifying referrals.

You already know who belongs here. The former coworkers you respect. The good hands you trust. The people you would want beside you when the work gets tough.

Bring them to Local 49. Build the crew. Get rewarded.

Hit our website blog for program details, then use the link in the blog to send us your referral.
Link to blog ➡️ https://f.mtr.cool/gdbaqfpjis

Questions? Call us at (505) 266-5878.

Share this program with your Local 49 brothers and sisters. LFG!

Texas

07/26/2026

With Sheet Metal Workers Local 49 – We just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

07/14/2026

But the road ahead seemed long and extraordinarily costly, and she began to question whether the investment would pay off.

Her older brother had graduated from the same school with a degree in accounting. Afterward, he went to work as a truck driver.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/style/gen-z-trade-school-careers-ai-college.html?smid=url-share

07/14/2026

National Tape Measure Day! 2026

07/14/2026

With UA Plumbers and Pipefitters 469 – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

07/14/2026

With Kentucky Welding Institute LLC – We just made it onto their weekly engagement list by being one of their top engagers 🎉

07/14/2026

Most people have no idea what we actually do in sheet metal.

That’s because our work is everywhere, but not always seen.

Behind the walls. Above the ceiling. On the roof. Inside the systems that move air, control temperature, protect buildings, and keep projects running.

We fabricate ductwork. We read blueprints. We run shears, press brakes, rolls, and welding equipment. We install HVAC systems, roofing, siding, architectural metal, and custom-built components. We weld it, assemble it, install it, service it, and make it perform.

This trade takes skill, precision, grit, and a sharp mind.

No cubicle. No guessing. Just real work, real tools, and a career built with your hands.

Learn more about careers in sheet metal and apply to our apprenticeship program today. https://smjatcsd.org/

07/09/2026

This is the part that matters most:
Tobias had the grades, scholarships, and college options.

But he also had the maturity to look at debt, income, family, and the future.

Choosing work, apprenticeship, and online college is not a backup plan.

It is a smart plan.
This is why CTE matters. It connects students to real skills, real employers, and real career paths before debt becomes the default.

Yearout Mechanical

Tobias Romero had college offers, scholarships, and every reason to follow the path people expected.

Instead, he chose a different way forward.

Now a new member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 49 , Tobias is starting his career with signatory contractor Yearout Mechanical and will begin the SMART Local Union 49 Joint Apprenticeship Training Program while continuing his education and building a future without student debt.

His story is about perseverance, family, a teacher who saw his potential, and a magnet school that gave him real options.

Tobias is one of several Valley High School - Albuquerque, NM Engineering the Future students who signed letters of intent with Local 49 signatory contractors, including Yearout Mechanical, JB Henderson Construction Co., Inc. and Butler Sheet Metal & Mechanical LLC.

Read the full story on our blog and share it with a student, parent, educator, or industry leader who needs to see what opportunity in the sheet metal trade can look like. https://smwlu49.org/he-had-college-offers-he-chose-to-sign-with-local-49/

Albuquerque Public Schools , New Mexico Public Education Department , Magnet Schools of America