Tatjana “TJ” Sebro

After a dead-end road full of late nights and early mornings due to juggling two to three jobs, Tatjana realized it was finally time to pursue a distant dream of joining the trades. At the time she had no idea sheet metal would “take the win” but after educating herself on the different trades, she felt sheet metal aligned well with hobbies, attention to details, and other transferable skills. Tatjana likes to say “I came into sheet metal green barely able to swing a hammer nor read a tape measure. Now with six years under my belt I can handle any task put in front of me.”

Tatjana began the Sheet Metal JATC San Diego apprenticeship program in 2018 and earned her journey card in 2023. Throughout her six years in the trade, she has worked for Tru-Duct Inc, a sheet metal fabrication shop in Oceanside California. Tatjana’s specialty is HVAC fabrication. She has worked her way up in the company and currently holds the title of Journey Worker Assembly/Foreperson. Her responsibilities include assembly and fabrication of sheet metal components. Overall, she oversees the assembly process and optimizing production.

The most satisfying part of the sheet metal trade to Tatjana is the versatility:  fabricating, assembling, installing, servicing. She believes the variety of specialties offered in the industry is the biggest asset for recruitment and retention.

One of Tatjana’s most memorable projects was just shy of a year into her career. She was part of a team building duct for a casino. Another company, University Mechanical, was responsible for installing the duct. This was the first time she witnessed how massive duct work could get. Building transitions that were over fifteen feet wide and ten feet tall were extremely impressive to Tatjana. The amount of duct assembled for the project felt endless to her. As she recalls, “My crew and I put in countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears into that project. Unforgettable memory.”

Tatjana is the JATC’s newest instructor. She begins teaching as a Technician Upgrade Instructor in the spring semester of 2024. She looks forward to educating, supporting, and guiding students to a longstanding rewarding career in the industry.

In her off time, Tatjana enjoys writing, reading, and learning new languages. Participating in sports and exercise, both indoors and outdoors, is essential for her. She also dedicates time to volunteer work and values social interactions with friends and family.