VEC, Inc. and the Warren JATC are partnering on a pre-apprenticeship program to interest more high school students in careers in the electrical trade.
Representatives from VEC, Warren JATC and Trumbull Career and Technical Center gained approval for the program at TCTC’s school board meeting last week. TCTC becomes just the seventh school in Ohio with a pre-apprenticeship program like this.
With an aim to help address the labor shortage, local organizations partnered to create an electrician pre-apprenticeship program in Trumbull County. From left, Cara DeToro (TCTC), Eric Davis (Warren JATC), Nate Burton (TCTC), Dave Jakovina (VEC, Inc.).
TCTC students who meet the criteria established by the partnering organizations related to academic performance, attitude, attendance, punctuality and more are eligible to apply. During the summer between the chosen students’ junior and senior year they’ll work paid jobs in the field – on jobsites as well as in a warehouse environment – for VEC.
“We’re doing our part to address a significant labor shortage in our industry, while providing young people with a tremendous opportunity to learn a marketable skill and build a rewarding career for themselves,” said Dave Jakovina, VEC’s manpower superintendent.
Successfully completing the program’s requirements would give the student a leg up on being chosen for the 3- to 5-year electrician apprenticeship programs offered through the Warren JATC, the organizations said.
“The motto in past years was ‘college for everyone,’ and that resulted in some of our skilled trades not having the skilled workforce they necessarily needed to function properly and be successful,” said Cara Detoro, TCTC career development coordinator. “With the people who have those skills retiring, they need people to fill those spots.”
TCTC became just the seventh school in Ohio to be approved for a skilled trades pre-apprenticeship program; largely assisted by NECA-IBEW member contractor VEC and the Warren JATC.
VEC is a total solutions construction company based in Girard, Ohio, and offers electrical, mechanical, fabrication, civil and low-voltage electrical services.
“We’re starting with VEC, but we have the ability to expand it based on interest and demand,” said Eric Davis, Warren JATC training director.
VEC is a member contractor of NECA-IBEW Electricians, an association of IBEW locals in Warren and Youngstown, and signatory electrical contractors in the Mahoning Valley.