WECA Arizona Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Class of 2022 graduate Aaron Reali credits his WECA education with giving him confidence, helping him develop problem-solving skills, and presenting excellent opportunities to lead and learn, and Arizona Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program Manager and Instructor Keith Smart with making his time at WECA challenging and rewarding.

“My education and training at WECA were really centered on real-life situations, helped me learn how to problem solve situations at work, gave me the confidence to have conversations with my leads, foremen, and superintendents about the work we’re performing, and I have been given the opportunity [by employer Corbins, a WECA Arizona Founding Member Contractor] to lead teammates. Also, Keith deserves a lot of the credit for the progress a lot of us have made,” says Aaron.

Another benefit of his WECA education, Aaron says, is learning in the classroom alongside his coworkers.

“We can talk about what we learned in class and bounce ideas off each other,” says Aaron. “Keith contributed real work examples and cited personal experiences, which helped a lot of us grasp certain concepts. Hands-on activities in class also helped build confidence in my work.”

Looking back on his WECA experience, Aaron encourages current and future WECA students to ‘take it all in.’

“It goes by so quickly and before you know it, graduation is happening. Really take advantage of the experience and the training. You’ll be surprised what you’re capable of if you just apply yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and volunteer for any opportunity because those can be your door to the next great step in your career,” says Aaron.

When it comes to next steps, Aaron is already carving a definitive pathway for his career in the commercial electrical industry.

“I’ve been given a great opportunity to lead a couple of my teammates in a job we are in right now,” says Aaron. “I’m excited to complete this job and continue to lead in other jobs and soon become a foreman for a couple of years and then transition into a superintendent role. I also plan to work with apprentices and help them out on their path.”