LOS ANGELES, Calif. – July 6, 2015 – IBEW Local 11 and the Los Angeles Chapter of NECA, announce the induction the largest all-veteran electrical apprenticeship class for the Electrical Veteran Apprenticeship Training program at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute in Commerce, CA. Each veteran apprentice will begin this five-year program today with a 13-day industry acclimation classroom course including various industry certifications. Following initial classroom training, each apprentice will be employed by a leading NECA contractor in greater Los Angeles and continue hands-on and classroom training at the NZP ETI. This class is comprised of 33 veterans including eleven U.S. Navy, ten U.S. Army, two Air Force, and ten Marine Corps veterans.
The Electrical Veteran Apprenticeship Training program was developed in addition to IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA’s 50% veteran enrollment commitment and existing training programs at the NZP ETI. It is the only training outreach program specifically designed for military men and women at the facility. Since its inception in 2013, 185 veterans have completed the program.
“I’ve always had an interest in working in the electrical industry and I knew that no other program could offer the level of training tailored to veterans as the one offered by IBEW and NECA,” said Colten Thompson, a U.S. Navy veteran enrolled in this year’s program. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to train at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute as it’s the starting point for a lifelong career that will help me support my family.”
The training program, which costs approximately $40,000 per apprentice, is completely funded by IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA.
“IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA are delivering on a strong commitment to providing best-in-class electrical workforce training to our country’s veterans, ” said Mike Kufchak, Sergeant Major, RET. USMC and Director of Veterans Affairs and Military Outreach at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute. “These training programs provide meaningful careers for military men and women as they transition back into civilian society.”
Recently, IBEW Local and LA/NECA launched Net Zero Plus, an initiative that transforms buildings into intelligent buildings of the future by producing more energy than is consumed on an annual basis. The Net Zero Plus initiative is being pioneered at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute, a showcase for emerging clean energy technologies and electrical industry training. Each year, more than 4,000 electrical workers are trained at this facility. Construction is currently underway on the NZP ETI retrofit, the largest Net Zero Plus commercial retrofit in the United States, and will be completed in Spring 2016.
About The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Electrical Contractors Partnership:
Together, IBEW Local 11, which represents more than 13,000 workers, and LA/NECA, which represents more than 400 electrical contractors in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, is the second largest electrical labor union partnership of workers and contractors in the United States.
IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA forged this partnership in developing the NZP ETI to provide world leading electrical training and have nationally recognized programs of excellence in training. Through this partnership and in cooperation with utilities and private companies, IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA are pioneering the Net Zero Plus program to transform commercial markets by employing the newest electrical technologies and training the most skilled workforce in the United States.
For more information about IBEW Local 11, please visit: http://www.ibew11.org
For more information about LA/NECA, please visit: https://www.laneca.org
For more information about the NZP ETI, please visit: http://www.nzp-eti.com