The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 is engaging students throughout St. Louis and eastern Missouri by educating them on the growing complexities of the electrical and communications industry. This new approach unfolded when IBEW Local 1 Business Representative Chuck DeMoulin was invited to a “College and Careers” class at Herculaneum High School in Herculaneum, Mo.
“We understand and appreciate the attraction of a college education,” DeMoulin told the class. “But we offer the state’s oldest and most successful higher education program serving the nation’s growing need for skilled and safe electricians and communication technicians. Our students immediately embark on a high-tech career with limitless possibilities.”
Boasting a graduation rate of 90%, the industry-funded IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center in St. Louis offers 10,000 hours and 5 years of instruction, including training in the field where students are paid with benefits. The 70+ course curriculum uses advanced technology, such as a rooftop solar array as well as courses on BIM and next-generation electrical/communication installations.
The push toward attracting workers — especially younger ones — to the electrical industry due to the continuing skilled labor shortage is a topic extensively covered by EC&M through up-to-the-minute news items such as:
• Partnership on Solar Doghouses to Inspire Future Trade Workers
• U.S. Soldiers Power Through Interior Electrician Training
• Success Academy Launches National Technician Education Program
• Poll Shows Just 8% of Students Advised to Seek Apprenticeships
To help promote the advantages of an electrical industry career, EC&M has featured numerous articles on the topic. The most recent, "Extraordinary Electrical Workers" by Amy Fischbach, details a day in the life of seven exceptional electrical professionals who work in extremely diverse environments within the energy industry. And in May 2018, we launched the inaugural "Under 30 Electrical All Stars," an annual article that focuses on America’s up-and-coming young electrical leaders who are transforming the industry. For those looking to recruit and retain millennials to their company, don’t miss "Time to Make a Move in a Different Direction" by Mister Sparky’s Gerald Talbot, who offers tips on relating to this new generation of electrical worker.
To find out your peers’ thoughts on the electrical industry’s limited talent pool, read Director of Content Ellen Parson’s Industry Viewpoint, "Recruiting/Retaining Top Talent Is Still Top of Mind for Design Firms," which includes verbatim answers to the to the question posed in our proprietary Top 40 Electrical Design Firms survey: “What do you expect your greatest business challenge to be this year and why?”
Additional EC&M coverage regarding the unique careers of electrical industry workers include:
• Marine Electricians Keep America's Ships Afloat
• Shining the Spotlight on Electricians in the Entertainment Industry
