Western Electrical Contractors Association, Inc.

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WECA Apprentice Syd Finch

Being an electrician isn’t just a job; it’s a career. And the best electricians don’t get experience under their toolbelts with just any Apprenticeship—they choose WECA. But don’t take our word for it, because these sentiments were espoused by fourth-year Commercial Electrical Apprentice Syd Finch.

“I chose WECA because I wanted to be the best electrician I could be—certifications and all”, said Finch, who studies at WECA’s Rancho Cordova headquarters and apprentices under WECA Member Contractor B&H Electric, Inc. “And I wanted to commit to something more than a job, and WECA’s Apprenticeship training has provided me with a foundation to be most successful in my career.”

Plus, Finch continued, “I played football at a couple of different four-year colleges … I never liked school and was only good at football—I loved the camaraderie—and the Apprenticeship is a similar experience. A hands-on approach to the work is exactly what I needed.”

During his time in WECA’s Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship—an experience that Finch characterizes as “an honor and a pleasure; the Apprenticeship has shown how skilled this wonderful trade we are in is”—Finch has loved “waking up knowing that every single day a new challenge will present itself, and with WECA as a foundation, I have all the tools I need to get answers for those challenges.”

What’s more--Finch reported loving all his instructors because they had a unique way of explaining what needed to be explained, and they always presented a final product that was complete. But, Finch had special shout-outs for longtime WECA instructors Jimmie Slemp due to his “innate ability to calm a room and seriously pursue an answer to a question” and Zack Wallace because “he is one of the most genuine men I have ever met.”

And although Finch isn’t done with his Apprenticeship journey with WECA yet, he had this advice to give to current and future Apprentices alike: “Do not do this for someone else. If you have failed before, this is your chance. This Apprenticeship is a wonderful gift, so don’t squander the opportunity you have.”