Santa Maria High School Class of 2026 graduate Oscar Flores Marcial has been accepted into the Western States Carpenters Union Brotherhood as a Millwright Apprentice.
Flores Marcial is the first Millwright Apprentice hired in Santa Maria.
Millwrights are highly skilled tradespeople who install, maintain and repair industrial machinery.
The trade offers strong earning potential and requires one of the most rigorous training pathways within the Carpenters Union, including a five-year apprenticeship program.
Flores Marcial began his new position on Aug. 6 with Western Industrial Contractors, where he is helping install a new conveyor belt system at the FedEx shipping facility in Santa Maria.
He will begin formal apprenticeship training in November at the Carpenters Union Training Center in Sylmar, California.
In recognition of his achievement and dedication, Flores Marcial received an $850 Boots & Bags Scholarship, which included a millwright apprentice tool package and a new pair of OSHA-compliant work boots.
The scholarship was made possible through Boots & Bags, a local nonprofit that helps aspiring construction professionals obtain the tools, workwear, and driver’s licensing needed to enter the construction industry and apprenticeship programs.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to earn my Level 3 pre-apprentice certification at MRC, which got my foot in the door at the union,” said Flores Marcial.
“A special thank you to Mr. [Glen] Holmes for teaching me about construction and helping me get all of the tools that I need to do my job. Now I do not need to spend my first paychecks on tools,” he said.
Glen Holmes, building and construction instructor at Mark Richardson Career Technical Education Center (MRC), praised Flores Marcial’s work ethic and commitment to his craft.
“Oscar was one of my hardest-working students during the 2025-26 school year,” Holmes said. “It was an honor to recommend him to the union and is a win for both the union and Oscar.
“I would also like to thank the Associated General Contractors of California Construction Education Foundation, as well as Scott and Daisy Thorshov and Ric Davis, for their generous donations that make these scholarship awards possible for our students.”