Nathan Price began WECA’s Electrician Trainee program in 2014—but his path was slightly different than that of other Electrician Trainees in that he has not ever worked for a WECA Member Contractor, since there are are't many close to where he lives, in Orange County.

But Price—like some other Electrician Trainees—financed a significant portion of his education by convincing his non-WECA Member Contractor employer to pay for some of his program! After achieving this, Price’s progress in the Electrician Trainee program accelerated, and he also took self-paced courses online during this time to increase his knowledge of electronics and the burgeoning solar energy industry.

“WECA has changed my life,” says Price. “It’s allowed me to become self-sufficient, have a skill that is and will always be in high demand, purchase my first home, and aspire to a bright future." 

Price continued, saying that “WECA prepared me for my career by giving me a thorough understanding of electrical fundamentals, trade practices, electrical code, troubleshooting, and general skills. And [I give a shout-out to instructors] Jimmie Slemp, Andre Lewis, Tom Thompson and Talon Pobuda for really going out of their way to encourage students and make sure that students understand the principles that are being taught." 

And what a career he’s enjoyed so far. Throughout Price’s career so far—one year in residential electrical, three and a half years in commercial electrical, and one and a half years in the industrial and research side of the electrical industry, he’s participated in the development of a neutron therapy machine for cancer, a large-scale fusion reactor, and some small-scale electric vehicle research—all of which require extensive knowledge of controls, instrumentation, and voltages. Currently, Price is working on an installation in China where he supervises and inspects the work of local electricians to ensure the quality, reliability, safety, and troubleshooting of the electrical systems on the first neutron therapy machine to be installed in a hospital.

Price says that he wouldn’t have gotten to where he is without his on-the-job training—which taught him how to be a good electrician, run a business, and other invaluable life lessons—nor without his dedication to consistent quality and hard work, which also helped him to succeed at WECA.

“Being dedicated to my studies and wanting to learn anything I can while at work, and asking questions and not shying away from extra work [helped me excel],” says Price.

Price implores future and current students to take their education seriously, study, and be devoted to their work.

“Do the best work you can, and pay attention to the details,” says Price.

And even though Price has graduated from WECA and secured work on interesting and innovative projects both stateside and abroad, he’s still committed to continuing his education and continuing to further expand his knowledge.