After a long day of work as an electrician, Victor Livingston enjoys the beauty of the night-time New York City skyline. As part of the electrical industry, he takes pride in the fact that he helped to power and illuminate his city.
At just 27 years old, he is already studying for his master electrician license and training to lead his family’s company, Livingston Electrical Associates, into the future. This year, he has also been selected as one of EC&M’s 10 Under 30 Electrical All Stars. He says to succeed in the electrical trade, it requires dedication.
“You get out of it what you put into it, and the harder you work, the more you will grow and learn,” he says. “With that type of mindset and work ethic, young people coming into the trade will succeed.”
For 2019, EC&M selected a diverse group of young professionals, who are all under the age of 30 and nominated by their supervisors and coworkers. These All Stars are sparking innovation at their companies, discovering new best practices, and making their mark in the worlds of electrical contracting, engineering, and construction.
Rather than just putting in a 40-hour work week and only doing what is expected of them, they often go above and beyond the call of duty. They’re the first to show up at work and the last to leave, and they spend their personal time learning how to use new technology that will improve workers’ productivity and safety.
Jonah Jensen, electrician for CR Lighting & Electric, says as a young employee, it takes hard work, consistency, and education to become whoever you aspire to be.
“The trade has so much room for growth, that in just a few years a first-year apprentice could become a lead or a foreman on a job,” Jensen says.
Meet 10 up-and-comers who are climbing the ladder of success as electricians, foremen, project managers, and electrical engineers.
2019’s Under 30 EC&M Electrical All Stars:
Kyle Cunningham, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Victor Livingston, Flushing, N.Y.
Fischbach is a freelance writer and editor based in Overland Park, Kan. She can be reached at [email protected].
Sidebar: Lessons Learned from our All Stars
1. Have a strong work ethic. The harder you work, the more you will grow and learn, says Victor Livingston, electrician for Livingston Electrical Associates. “My advice for any of the young professionals is to take initiative and absorb the knowledge and skill set you are being taught,” he says. “The more you know, the more confident you will be in taking on tasks, and you will begin to love your job no matter how hard some days may be.”
2. Walk in each day with a positive attitude. Chris Holmes of Altimate Electric says his drive and determination and attention to detail has helped him to succeed in the trade.
3. Be prepared. Holmes focuses each day on preparing for the next one, which keeps him ahead of the game.
4. Show up early and leave late. Aaron Gadd, a licensed foreman for Commercial Electrical Solutions, says he is very passionate and dedicated to the electrical trade. For others to rise to the top of their group of peers, he advises them to be driven, dedicated, put in the time, have an open mind, and learn something from every situation.
5. Embrace new opportunities. When you see an opportunity come your way, it’s important to not be afraid of change. “Take it and trust in yourself to make something out of it,” says Reese Shetrone, assistant project manager with Walker Engineering in Houston.
6. Ask a lot of questions. The electrical trade is constantly growing, and if you aren’t trying to expand your knowledge, you will get left behind, says Tyler Wilson, assistant project manager with The Sack Company. “Success doesn’t only come from knowledge; it is in experience and most importantly attitude. Every day is a new challenge with new opportunities to grow and learn. Never stop learning.”
7. Make a commitment and be loyal. Katelyn Harada, electrical engineer for InPwr, Inc., says loyalty opens doors to success and builds a support system.
8. Go beyond your job title. Harada also added that she is willing to give back in areas outside her scope of work. “I look at my work tasks as bigger than ‘just me’ and consistently empathize that there are always multiple people involved, which makes every decision I make much more thorough and allows me to produce my best work time and time again.”
9. Work as part of the team. Jeffrey Kolin Padon, foreman for Power Design, says to be successful as a leader in the electrical trade, you must never ask anyone to do a task you can’t or won’t do yourself. In addition, you must hold yourself accountable for your and your crew’s actions.
10. Learn from your mistakes. Andy Fox, master electrician for ASG Electric, says if you work hard and pay attention, success will follow. “Know that you’re going to make mistakes and that’s how you learn, but the key is learning from those mistakes,” he says. “You get out of it what you put into it.”
