Thursday, May 14, 2026

WECA recently opened its doors in Utah to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2026 with an open house that brought together a diverse group of industry leaders, government officials, and community members; highlighting the vital role of skilled trades in sustaining Utah's booming economy.

With over 4,940 apprentices currently active across the state of Utah, nearly half of whom are in the construction industry, the event showcased how programs like WECA Utah's Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program are fueling Utah's economy and addressing the state's critical labor needs.

The open house was attended by stakeholders committed to building Utah's workforce, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship Utah, the Division of Workforce Services, Associated General Contractors of Utah, Platt Electric Supply, and Helix Electric, as well as prospective apprentices and other members of the public.

During the open house, WECA apprentices participated in an Automated Lighting Controls (nLight) lab, led and developed by WECA Utah instructor Talon Pobuda. This lab is a cornerstone of the second-year curriculum and teaches apprentices how to install, program, and fix digital networked systems essential for modern infrastructure. Additionally, during the open house, stakeholders received a tour of our training facility, learned more about the WECA Utah Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program, networked with industry peers, and were treated to food, drinks, and WECA swag.

Thank you to everyone who attended the WECA Utah open house and mixer! We enjoyed seeing everyone and celebrating the building of Utah's premier electrical workforce!