Electrical Connection ramps up diversity recruitment with return of career fairs

With return of career fairs, the Electrical Connection is expanding its outreach to recruit a diverse workforce for the electrical and communications industry. The fairs, a staple of workforce development, were severely curtailed by the pandemic.

On Sept. 19, the Electrical Connection took part in the Infinite Scholars Fair at Saint Louis University. It was the first time the organization has expanded its outreach to a college scholarship fair, vying for the same high school students as colleges and universities.

The Electrical Connection was also at Warrenton High School’s career fair last month to detail careers in building the nation’s electrical and communications infrastructure to high school students there.

The Electrical Connection is a partnership of IBEW Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). The partnership anticipates engaging in more than 20 career fairs over the next year. And it offers college credits by partnering with select higher education institutions.

“The nation is embracing the need to modernize electrical and communications infrastructure,” said Sylvester Taylor, Electrical Connection director of diversity, equity and inclusion. “That’s an extremely important selling point for launching a career at the IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center. Best of all, there’s no tuition and no student debt. You earn a living with benefits as you learn.”

President Joe Biden has a $1.4 trillion infrastructure plan moving through Congress, which includes significant investment in modernizing electrical and communication infrastructure.

80TH ANNIVERSARY
The training center is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year and has trained more highly skilled and safe electricians and communication technicians than any program in Missouri.

“This is a difference-making career, one that is delivering greater energy efficiencies and responding to climate change through continuous innovation,” Taylor said. “Renewable energy, electric vehicle chargers, smart infrastructure, modernizing the electrical/communications grid are all part of our curriculum.”

Located at 2300 Hampton Ave., the training center is operated jointly by IBEW/NECA, which invests $3 million annually in training. The five-year, 10,000-hour training program has a 90-percent graduation rate. For the past 10 years, a third of its students have been minorities.

The training center’s 78-course curriculum uses advanced technology including a rooftop solar array and courses on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and next-generation electrical/communication installations, including renewable energy, smart building technology and advanced manufacturing.

Through its Electrical Connection partnership, IBEW/NECA provides safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world. Learn more at electricalconnection.org.