Fourth-year Commercial Electrical Apprentice George Cook-Cantu was one of the lucky few to get their start in the trades in high school. He had the opportunity to work for WECA Member Contractor Rex Moore Group, Inc., where he discovered how much he enjoyed building things and observed that when working around the electricians, he enjoyed the same bond and camaraderie that he experienced as a high school athlete. Though he didn’t pursue an electrical Apprenticeship immediately after high school, the experience stayed with him and eventually inspired him to become an electrician.

However, when he decided to pursue a career in the electrical industry, choosing Rex Moore and WECA was a no-brainer.

“One of the major goals of the WECA Apprenticeship is to create the next generation of leaders,” says George. “Because of this and the high level of education [WECA provides], I knew the WECA Apprenticeship route was the correct one for me.”

Now that he’s in the midst of his Apprenticeship, George says that his favorite thing is learning about the willingness to adapt.

“On the jobsite there is constant change. There is constant change of personnel, which means many personalities need to be navigated for the job to be done efficiently. There is also the need to be flexible with planned work due to other trades [on the jobsite]. And more recently, the willingness to adapt has been amplified by COVID protocols and mandates. The ability to adapt is a skill I will continue to sharpen both at work and in my personal life,” says George.

While in the classroom at WECA’s Sacramento/Rancho Cordova headquarters, though, George loves that all the instructors at WECA have something unique to offer. However, his favorite instructor is James Hall, due to James’ success at delivering foundational first-year electrical concepts with a balance of urgency and humor.

And although George is still building his electrical career, he says the keys to success he’s found so far are to “Divide the years of Apprenticeship through goals. Five years can seem overwhelming and long. There is no perfect way of dividing up the Apprenticeship. It will depend on your personal ambitions and execution. I personally set a career goal that I wanted to achieve by the end of year two. Then I set a goal that I want to be achieved by the end of year four. My final year will be about making a smooth transition out of the Apprenticeship and into a leadership role,” says George.

All told, though, George says that “The WECA Apprenticeship has had a significant impact on my life. I have found a great career in electrical and with the education, structure and guidance provided through the Apprenticeship, I will have the tools needed to thrive in construction.”

Thank you for choosing WECA for your Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship, George! We’re glad to have you here, and wish you every success as you continue to craft your career in the commercial electrical industry!