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The Electric Current Blog

Training  |  

The JATC Celebrated National Apprenticeship Week

The U.S. Department of Labor established National Apprenticeship Week three years ago as a “National Celebration that offers leaders in business, labor, education and other critical partners a chance to express their support for Apprenticeship”. It gives apprenticeship sponsors, like the Electrical Alliance’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) the opportunity to showcase their programs, facilities and apprentices. The week of events shows the value of apprenticeship in preparing a highly-skilled workforce to meet employers’ needs.

Innovation, Outreach, Quality, Training  |  
Men shake hands on stage

IBEW Local 26 Celebrates 125 Years

Near the end of 19th century a group of skilled electricians chartered the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 26 in Washington, D.C. Since 1892, thousands of journeyman electricians have been trained by the union and have worked on countless projects around our region—from remodeling the White House in 1902 to rebuilding the Pentagon after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Outreach  |  
Group of Volunteers

20 Volunteers Perform Electrical Work in D.C.’s Lincoln Heights Housing Development

On Saturday, August 19th approximately twenty volunteers–members of Electricians’ Local 26, who are also members of the Local 26 Minority Coalition and employees of the District of Columbia Housing Authority—gathered in the Lincoln Heights Housing Development, for the seventh joint community services project between Local Union 26 IBEW (LU26IBEW) and the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA).

Innovation, Sustainability  |  
LED Bulb

Growing Interest in Green Building Investments

By Michael Mock, VP of Industry Development, The Electrical Alliance

Today there is a growing interest of investors and financial institutions in funding green/sustainable projects. In fact, a recent report from Goldman Sachs illustrates this trend.

Alberto Gandolfi, a managing director at Goldman who specializes in utilities research states: “What started as a decarbonization process, thanks to better technology, is about to become a process driven by costs and the economics.” Put another way, what is good for the environment is also good for the bottom line.

Innovation  |  

Eye on Innovation

Electrical Alliance electrical contractors train their teams on new technologies on an ongoing basis. Keeping up with technological advancements, how they impact the buildings we construct or maintain, and where investments are being made is part of our business. This month, we’ve curated a list of recent articles related to innovations in the industry to keep you up-to-date on advances coming to electrical construction.

Training  |  

JATC’s Comprehensive Telecommunications Training Sets Industry Up for Success

Critical data centers are dotted across the DMV region and Washington, D.C. is home to facilities with some of the highest security needs in the world. Installing low voltage—telecommunications, security systems, data/cabling and more—is critical to meeting the demands of the Washington, D.C. construction market. Some Electrical Alliance contractors offer full service solutions that include low voltage while others specialize is this area of the craft.

Innovation, Sustainability  |  
solar panels

Here Comes the Sun

By Michael Mock, VP of Industry Development, The Electrical Alliance

The dog days of summer are upon us. And while sunny days bring high temperatures, they are also a reminder of a rapidly growing market – solar-related projects.

The marketplace for electrical contracting services is changing rapidly. Some traditional markets are dwindling, while others, including solar, are on the rise, seeing growth in the commercial, governmental and institutional sectors.