You might already know that members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers/Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (IBEW/EWMC) Local Union 26 are highly skilled at wiring large commercial projects. But did you know that many believe so strongly in the value of their work that they use their skills for good, strapping on their tool belts to help community members in need?
When Arlington County, Virginia, decided to open its first year-round homeless shelter, it bought an office building in the heart of its rapidly growing urban core. Part of an effort to end chronic homelessness, the shelter was intended to provide job training, health, and mental health services as well as a place to live, off the streets, in the warmer months. Yet the building needed repair.
Today, the electrical construction industry faces two significant challenges, addressing shortages of skilled crafts labor and assuring that today’s electricians have the in-depth training required to install and maintain increasingly complex electrical systems.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 26 (IBEW) and the Washington, DC Chapter of National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) working cooperatively through the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC), invest over $8 million every year in the Washington, D.C. area preparing the next generation of skilled electricians, and providing experienced electricians with on-going training in the latest construction techniques and technologies.
This holiday season the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26 worked with Mona Electric to donate to Loretta and Mary’s Pantry as it held its annual food drive at Giant in La Plata, MD.
IBEW Local 26 worked throughout the year to get donations from its members for the food drive. By the end of the year it had collected approximately 10,000 pounds of nonperishable items to donate to the pantry.
Mona Electric worked with IBEW Local 26 to deliver all the donations of food to Loretta and Mary’s Pantry during the week of Christmas.
A partnership between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26 and the Edison Academy Electrical Construction and Engineering (ECE) program was signed recently in an effort to help provide students with resources and career experiences.
The program hopes to prepare students for successful and rewarding careers in the electrical field. IBEW Local 26 donated $10,000 in materials and resources for the electrical classroom at Edison Academy allowing students to practice and perfect their skills.
Ramiro “Butch” Ramos, president of Local 26, visited the Academy on October 6, 2014 along with Michael Mock, Electrical Alliance vice president for industry development and Kevin Burton, assistant director for the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) to discuss the agreement.
On February 28th, the JATC hosted several members of the Washington, DC commercial construction industry for a tour of the JATC that included its latest energy efficient upgrades. JATC Assistant Director Ralph Neidert conducted the tour. Neidert, a master electrician in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, was also the first to become certified and conduct training for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment in the DC area.
The Electrical Alliance and its Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) know that in order to build a strong community, you must contribute to it. This is why they are sponsoring activities at Big Build 2013.
The National Building Museum’s Big Build is a hands-on family festival that attracts more than 4,500 visitors annually and provides the opportunity for children to work alongside experienced artisans and craftsmen as they demonstrate skills. It introduces youth to a wide range of respected professions with interactive demonstrations, games, and activities, while educating them on the built environment.
