Electrical Association Apprenticeship

Joe Gatewood, President, MEA Board of Directors

In honor of National Apprenticeship Week (November 11–17) I want to thank all of the companies and apprentices who value education and training for the future of the Electrical Industry.

In the Electrical Association’s program alone, there are over 80 companies sending close to 350 apprentices through training this year! There are also 13 companies and 60 apprentices utilizing the registered apprenticeship program at the Association. These are record high numbers and a huge testament to the value that this industry places on education! I am proud of my fellow electricians who want to promote a high standard for the workforce of educated individuals doing the job right. 

Thank you to the students who dedicate 6 hours a week outside of their normal workdays to learn and study the industry so they can master their craft. It isn’t easy to juggle the responsibilities of family, work and real life, but it pays off when they learn skills to become more confident electricians, journeyman, masters and perhaps electrical contractors.

Thank you to the employers who value training and advancing the workforce. Putting your apprentices through an established training program shows your loyalty to them and their future. This can help build your recruitment and retention efforts for employees.

Thank you to the instructors at the Electrical Association who work hard to deliver quality curriculum to their students in an interesting way that they can relate to the real world. Many of the trainers at the Electrical Association have been teaching with the apprenticeship program for a long time and have continued to build this program to what it is today. 

Thank you to the Director of Education for developing all of the content and curriculum for the courses and the Education team at the Association who handles all of the logistics to ensure success within the program. These are big jobs and require a lot of focus and expertise. 

New this year! The Electrical Association has developed an Extended Apprentice Training course, which is perfect for graduates of the 4-year apprentice program. It includes topics such as PLC, VFD, HMI Motor Controllers; Solar; and Exam Prep. This course is team taught by several of our instructors and is available to the public in separate segments or the whole package.

It takes a village to make this happen! The Electrical Association has been running a successful program for over the last 20 years and it continues to get better! Take a moment during the week of November 11–17 to recognize the apprentices in your shop and those in your life who support apprenticeship programs. They deserve it!