TRAINING DAY
HOW ONE DELCO UNION IS PREPARING THE SKILLED WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW
UPPER CHICHESTER >> In one room, the adult and infant mannequins lay on the tables. In another, a series of pipes are lined against a wall opposite a crane. Yet another simulates the skeleton of a house with wood beams from floor to ceiling – and most importantly, an electric box connecting all the wires.
Welcome to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ Local 654’s Upper Chichester training facility for their five–year apprenticeship program.
Fully self-funded by the IBEW members, apprentices first apply, then are interviewed for one of the positions, where they will learn to become a union electrician for free, while earning an income the entire five years.
“This program gives you such a head start,” Michael Garvey, an IBEW journeyman and instructor, said, “because I went through this program and I graduated with not one cent of debt – on tope of making money.” He gave a comparison. “When I graduated,” he said, “I’m making double or triple what my buddy who just went to college for six years makes and he’s got $200,000 in debt.”
Bill Adams, IBEW 654 president, explained that the school is a partnership between their local and the National Electrical Contractors Association and began in its current incarnation in 2002 when the union came to the 3729 Chichester Ave. facility from the former location across from IceWorks in Aston.
“People don’t understand union electricians but we’re all about training,” he explained. “We feel we’re the only ones making a significant effort to train people in the electrical industry.”
It’s that education that draws people like Fred Ries of Springfield, a Marine reservist who’s in his second year in the IBEW apprentice program.
“This is just a better opportunity,” he said. “You get more training and you’re working with better electricians, guys who have been through the training already and know the ins and outs. You come to school at night but you’re also learning while you’re at work with guys who have already been through the program.”
How it works is people interested apply to the program and then are interviewed by a board comprised of IBEW electricians and contractors.
“Both parties are looking for the best people,” Garvey explained. Adams said of those applying what matters most is dedication.
“If you’re the smartest guy in your electrical class, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be the best here,” Adams said. “It has to be the guy that’s going to apply himself to be the best he can be.” Garvey agreed. “It’s not even the smartest,” he said. “It’s the guys, you want them to care as much as they do Day One, 30 years from now.”
Then, Adams explained, they have to be hard workers. They have to have good work habits like showing up to work every day and on time and they have to understand and appreciate the opportunity that’s before them. He said the program can be
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