WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Education is a journey. But for union electrical workers, the continuing quest for knowledge -- to hone the varied skills that power America safely -- once meant traveling hundreds of miles from home to reach the nearest training center. Today, however, that vital education is now coming to the workers, through a groundbreaking new program developed by the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC). That program is creating a nationwide network of regional training centers, each staffed and equipped to keep union electrical workers up-to-date in a rapidly changing industry.
Explains Michael Callanan, executive director of NJATC, "Many in our industry had clearly expressed the need for regional training, for bringing continued education closer to our members. So NECA and IBEW jointly rolled up their sleeves and met that need, by creating venues throughout the country to bring the quality training we're known for directly to our members."
Already, for 2006, regional training sites have been established in Portland, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Detroit, Michigan, and Birmingham, Alabama. At the centers, union members can avail themselves of a range of course offerings, covering such cutting-edge topics as computer technology, fiber optic and photovoltaic systems, copper structured cabling, traffic signal operation and alarm systems installation, as well as work zone safety.
For 2007, additional regional training sites are planned for Winter Park, Florida, Omaha, Nebraska, Commerce, California, and Dorchester, Massachusetts. Says Callanan, "Continuous improvement through quality education is crucial in any industry. And for America's electrical workers, I'm especially excited about the training potential and opportunities this regional training structure provides. The possibilities are endless. And with the industry's help, we'll make regional training a venue that permits better use of all of our resources, to ensure we stand prepared together, to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow."
About IBEW and NECA
Acting through their joint marketing organization -- the National Labor- Management Cooperation Committee (NLMCC) of the organized electrical construction industry -- NECA and IBEW together work to:
* reach customers with accurate information about the industry; and * achieve better internal communication between labor and management.
With 750,000 members who work in a wide variety of fields -- including construction, telecommunications, manufacturing -- the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers began in 1891. The IBEW is among the largest member unions in the AFL-CIO. http://www.ibew.org/.
The National Electrical Contractors Association is the voice of the $100 billion industry responsible for bringing lighting, power and communications to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA's national office and 120 local chapters advance the electrical contracting industry through advocacy, education, research and standards development. NECA celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2001. For more information, visit http://www.necanet.org/.
of Electrical Workers
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:
CONTACT: Mark Walston, +1-301-907-7201, for National Electrical
Contractors Association and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Web site: http://www.ibew.org/
http://www.necanet.org/
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