Please join us in congratulating WECA Member Contractors Power Design, Helix Electric, and Bergelectric for making Electrical Construction & Maintenance's 2024 Top 20 Electrical Contractors List!

Congratulations on this achievement, and thank you for representing WECA excellence on the national level!

 

Content Courtesy of the Sacramento Business Journal

Alessandro Electric strategically adds workers to keep up with revenue growth.

Mark Anderson

The first job Clint Alessandro got when he started his own electrical business was working at a school. That has set the tone for the company.

Alessandro Electric Inc. has gone on to work on government, education, and military projects throughout Northern California.

But it's done a lot of work at schools.

"That has been our specialty," Clint Alessandro said.

Founded in 2005 with Alessandro working out of a pickup truck from his home in Citrus Heights, Alessandro Electric has grown to 130 employees based out of a 16,000-square-foot building the company owns in Rancho Cordova.

Recent jobs include work locally at Sacramento City College, American River College and Rio Americano High School.

Much of the growth in employees has been in the past three years, when the company more than doubled its employee count, he said.

"For us, we are always strategically adding key players when we need them," he said.

Part of the company's growth is a result of more jobs in recent years that included not only the electrical in a new building, but also work on solar photovoltaic and battery backup on those jobs.

Alessandro said the company is cognizant of the pressure growth puts on a company, so it always pays attention to details around its capital, abilities and administration.

"We don't grow past our infrastructure," he said, adding that in addition to adding electricians, the company pays close attention to its office and administration staffing and its capital resources.

"We work hard to keep the horse ahead of the cart," he said. Alessandro said that much of the detail is overseen by his wife Colleen, co-founder of the business, its chief financial officer and 50% owner of the company.

Clint Alessandro went through the training and apprenticeship program of the Western Electrical Contractors Association. That program requires 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, and it is where he tends to find many of his new hires.

"You might get lucky with a new hire," he said. "The company is careful to supervise new hires and make sure they are a fit with the company.

He said he realized he was good at what he was doing when he was made a supervisor at a local electrical firm while he was still a third-year apprentice.

He attributes that to a strong work ethic instilled by his parents.

Another eye-opener for him was as a result of getting injured on the job, which put him into the office temporarily rather than the field, and he got a sense of the business side of the job and the work of estimating.

One thing he didn't like about being an electrician when he worked at another company was being assigned to far-away projects.

"We used to joke that we'd high-five each other when we passed each other on the freeway going to jobs," he said.

"When we started, it was all young families. It was important for us to be close to home to be able to get back to the kids," he said.

With his firm, which employs workers from Yuba County to Modesto, Alessandro maps out where employees live and where the jobs are so that they can, when possible, work closer to home. Most of the company's jobs are within 90 miles of headquarters, he said.

The Essentials

Rank on the list: 43

2023 revenue: $24.58 million

Three-year growth: 40.1%

Business founded: 2005

Founders: Clint Alessandro and Colleen Alessandro

Employees: 130

Headquarters: Rancho Cordova

Read the original Sacramento Business Journal article here (article is behind a paywall unless you are a Sacramento Business Journal subscriber.)

Wednesday, Sep. 25 from 8:30 to 10:00 AM


 

Join Cook Brown LLP Partner Carrie Bushman on Wednesday, Sep 25 for a webinar on Davis Bacon Act Compliance Review. The webinar will cover such topics as:

• Projects and types of work covered by the Davis Bacon Act
• CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act
• Identifying and understanding the applicable wage determination
• Taking credit for fringe benefit payments
• Payment of overtime
• Employment of apprentices
• Recordkeeping and posting requirements
• Liability for violations
• Paid sick leave requirements for federal contractors
• Compliance resources

Register today to join us online on Wednesday, Sep. 25, from 8:30 to 10:00 AM, for this informative webinar.

This webinar is free for WECA Member Contractors and their employees--it's included in the WECA Member Benefits package. All others are $95/registration.

Register here!

 

Content courtesy of: Construction Dive

DOL to hold Davis-Bacon seminar for contractors

The Labor Department will offer a free online session on Aug. 29 to discuss how to comply with newly updated prevailing wage rules.

Dive Brief:

• On Aug. 29, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will offer an online seminar focused on requirements for paying prevailing wages on federally funded construction and service contractors.
• For contractors that work on federally funded infrastructure projects, it could serve as a much-needed refresher. The DOL updated the Davis-Bacon Act in October, in some cases increasing the wages employers need to pay on affected contracts.
• The day-long seminar will offer sessions on labor standard protections in the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act, to include how the department sets and administers prevailing wage rules.

The seminar will be held from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT, per the release. It’s free to attend but registration is required. 

NorCal WECA Member Contractors: An Opportunity to Coach Students Interested in Pursuing Electrical Careers Through the CIE Foundation's 10-Week Program




 

For WECA Member Contractors in Northern California:

We're sharing this opportunity at the encouragement of Ian Vander Linden, CEO of K S Telecom, Inc., who serves on the WECA Board of Directors.

He shares, "I've been involved with this CIEF program on a minor scale for the last 4-5 years and it's a great program for introducing high school students to the trades."

Ian would like to encourage any WECA Member Contractors interested in this program, but who have questions before signing up, to feel welcome to contact him personally at ivl@kstelecominc.com.

----------------------------------------

Do you want to share your passion for the electrical industry with the next generation? Become an industry mentor through the CIE Foundation's 10-week program, during which industry mentors coach students through a real-world project.

Content courtesy of CIE Foundation:

Change a Life, Become a Coach. Help coach a high school team as they explore careers in architecture, engineering, construction management and the trades through a hands-on competition. Students will complete a client needs assessment, cost estimates, site plans, physical models, 3D renderings, attend Trades Day, visit architecture and engineering offices, active job sites, build soft skills and present a final project to a panel of industry judges at the December competition.

There's three different types of mentorship within this program:

• Support Mentor/Coach (two 60-minute sessions consisting of career talk, a hands-on activity, and help with an aspect of their project as it relates to your discipline)
• Lead Mentor/Coach (10 or more sessions consisting of attending most of the sessions, coordinating a schedule with the team, and empowering students to cross the finish line)
• Field Trip (host a field trip for students to visit a job or office site)

Download informational flyer

Ready to sign up to become an industry mentor? Scan the QR code on the flyer or sign up here.

 

Checking in on some of your fourth year, second semester Commercial Electrical apprentices at WECA's Fresno training facility: sure enough, hard at work in the motor controls lab, with guidance from instructor Jaron Stroud!

For WECA California Member Contractors: Effective with September 2024 hours that are due to be reported and paid to WECA by October 15, 2024, the WECA Commercial Apprentice Training Contribution will increase to $3.00 per hour worked. WECA’s Commercial training rate had not seen an increase since January 2000. In light of it having been over twenty-four years since this rate was last increased; and the numerous improvements to the quality of instruction, lab environments, custom-developed competency-assessed curriculum, and learning technologies introduced into WECA's apprenticeship programs during that interval; the WECA Apprenticeship Training Trust Board of Trustees made the decision that a training rate increase is now warranted to continue to sustain and improve the program.

For California Public Works where the applicable determination training rate exceeds WECA’s training rate, contractors are obligated to contribute the higher of the two rates. WECA will be making changes to our hours reporting system to allow for this; please watch your email as WECA will provide further instructions once changes are complete. 

The WECA Member Handbook will be updated to reflect these changes and the updates will be available on your Member Dashboard before September 1, 2024.

Support WECA Graduates by Sponsoring Their Graduation Events


 

Dear WECA Member Contractors, Industry Partners, and Industry Supporters,

WECA is proud to announce the WECA California Graduating Class of 2024!

These Commercial Electrical, Residential Electrical, and Low Voltage Apprentices--as well as Electrician Trainees in our GetWired Electrician Trainee Certificate program--have successfully completed their education with WECA!

Help us honor their achievement with your sponsorship of their graduation event(s) on:

- Saturday, September 28, 2024 at Temecula Creek Inn (44501 Rainbow Canyon Road, Temecula, CA 92592) from 4:00 to 7:30 PM for Southern California graduates.

- Saturday, October 5, 2024 at The Sacramento Zoo (3930 West Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822) from 1 to 4:30 PM for Northern California graduates.

Make their graduation memorable. Your sponsorship can allow you and members of your team to attend and meet the graduates--especially meaningful for them if you're their contractor. Plus, you can meet WECA instructors and staff, other member contractors, and electrical industry supporters as well.

Your sponsorship will be recognized at both graduation events!

Please consider the sponsorship opportunities available at the link, and thank you for your support of electrical and low voltage education!

Sincerely,

The WECA Graduation Team

Reserve your sponsorship package

CONTENT COURTESY OF THE SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNAL

Alessandro Electric strategically adds workers to keep up with revenue growth

Mark Anderson
 

The first job Clint Alessandro got when he started his own electrical business was working at a school. That has set the tone for the company.

Alessandro Electric Inc. has gone on to work on government, education and military projects throughout Northern California.

But it’s done a lot of work at schools.

"That has been our specialty,” Clint Alessandro said.

Founded in 2005 with Alessandro working out of a pickup truck from his home in Citrus Heights, Alessandro Electric has grown to 130 employees based out of a 16,000-square-foot building the company owns in Rancho Cordova.

Recent jobs include work locally at Sacramento City College, American River College and Rio Americano High School.

Much of the growth in employees has been in the past three years, when the company more than doubled its employee count, he said.

“For us, we are always strategically adding key players when we need them,” he said.

Part of the company’s growth is a result of more jobs in recent years that included not only the electrical in a new building, but also work on solar photovoltaic and battery backup on those jobs.

Alessandro said the company is cognizant of the pressure growth puts on a company, so it always pays attention to details around its capital, abilities and administration.

“We don’t grow past our infrastructure,” he said, adding that in addition to adding electricians, the company pays close attention to its office and administration staffing and its capital resources.

“We work hard to keep the horse ahead of the cart,” he said. Alessandro said much of that detail is overseen by his wife Colleen, co-founder of the business, its chief financial officer and 50% owner of the company.

Clint Alessandro went through the training and apprenticeship program of the Western Electrical Contractors Association. That program requires 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, and it is where he tends to find many of his new hires.

"You might get lucky with a new hire," he said. The company is careful to supervise new hires and make sure they are a fit with the company.

He said he realized he was good at what he was doing when he was made a supervisor at a local electrical firm while he was still a third-year apprentice.

He attributes that to a strong work ethic instilled by his parents.

Another eye-opener for him was as a result of getting injured on the job, which put him into the office temporarily rather than the field, and he got a sense of the business side of the job and the work of estimating.

One thing he didn’t like about being an electrician when he worked at another company was being assigned to far-away projects.

“We used to joke that we’d high-five each other when we passed each other on the freeway going to jobs,” he said.

“When we started, it was all young families. It was important for us to be close to home to be able to get back to the kids,” he said.

With his firm, which employs workers from Yuba County to Modesto, Alessandro maps out where employees live and where the jobs are so that they can, when possible, work closer to home. Most of the company’s jobs are within 90 miles of headquarters, he said.

The Essentials

Rank on the list: 43
2023 revenue: $24.58 million
Three-year growth: 40.1% Business: Electrical contractor Founded: 2005
Founders: Clint Alessandro and Colleen Alessandro
Employees: 130
Headquarters: Rancho Cordova

Read the original Sacramento Business Journal article here (Article is behind a paywall unless you are a Sacramento Business Journal subscriber). 
 

Here are some recent snaps of your second year, second semester Low Voltage apprentices in the lab with Low Voltage Apprenticeship instructor Randy Rivera--a WECA grad himself! Randy went out, got tons of experience in the field, and came back to WECA to share his knowledge with the new crop of skilled Low Voltage Technicians. 

Encourage Someone in the Area to Apply


 

WECA Member Contractors-- you know the many benefits of WECA Apprenticeship:

• Apprentices receive an education for a well-paying, in-demand career...
• While also learning from you, on the job...
• In a daytime program that doesn't leave them exhausted after work...
• In one of the most highly-regarded apprenticeship programs in the nation

So...know anyone you think should get their start as an apprentice in La Paz County, Arizona?

We have Member Contractors in need of Commercial Electrical Apprentice Applicants in the area.

Help them out--If you know someone in that area you think has what it takes to succeed in the WECA program, forward this email to them, or encourage them to visit WECA's website to learn more and apply!

Sacramento-Area WECA Member Contractors:

Reach Out to Future Electricians at CIE Foundation's 2024 Sacramento - High Schools Trades Day on October 9th

Deadline to Register as an Exhibitor is September 18th



 

Want to attend as an exhibitor? Register by September 18th.

Need more information? Contact Brittany Albaugh, CIE Foundation Director of National Youth Programs.

Download a copy of the flyer.

NorCal Member Contractors:

WECA Industry Partner Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction (CFEC) Invites You to a Fundraising Reception in Support of the Fight for Fair and Open Competition on August 22nd in Sacramento


 

WECA is sharing this fundraiser invitation on behalf of our Industry Partner, the Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction (CFEC).

To RSVP, please call Eric Christen at (858) 431-6337 or email him at ericdchristen@gmail.com.

Don't Miss Your Chance to Support the WECA

Northern and Southern California Classes of 2024

Support WECA Graduates by Sponsoring Their Graduation Events


 

Dear WECA Member Contractors, Industry Partners, and Industry Supporters,

WECA is proud to announce the WECA California Graduating Class of 2024!

These Commercial Electrical, Residential Electrical, and Low Voltage Apprentices--as well as Electrician Trainees in our GetWired Electrician Trainee Certificate program--have successfully completed their education with WECA!

Help us honor their achievement with your sponsorship of their graduation event(s) on:

- Saturday, September 28, 2024 at Temecula Creek Inn (44501 Rainbow Canyon Road, Temecula, CA 92592) from 4:00 to 7:30 PM for Southern California graduates.

- Saturday, October 5, 2024 at The Sacramento Zoo (3930 West Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822) from 1 to 4:30 PM for Northern California graduates.

Make their graduation memorable. Your sponsorship can allow you and members of your team to attend and meet the graduates--especially meaningful for them if you're their contractor. Plus, you can meet WECA instructors and staff, other member contractors, and electrical industry supporters as well.

Your sponsorship will be recognized at both graduation events!

Please consider the sponsorship opportunities available at the link, and thank you for your support of electrical and low voltage education!

Sincerely,

The WECA Graduation Team

Reserve your sponsorship package

California Member Contractors:

Are You Interested in Utilizing GoGreen's Expanded Business Energy Financing Program, But Were Unable to Attend the July 31st Webinar?

It's Not Too Late to Learn More and Join GoGreen: Watch the Webinar Recording


 

GoGreen's Business Energy Financing Program is expanding. GoGreen held a Business Solar and Storage Webinar on July 31st to educate current and prospective members on new program measures, financing options, payment terms, expanded qualifying criteria, and more.

If you were unable to attend the July 31st webinar, they've provided the recording link and asked us to share it with you: watch the webinar recording here.

A reminder from GoGreen Business Energy Financing Program about their program benefits:

• No dealer fees.
• Special Interest Rate Buy Down Promotion…rates as low as 0% (3 participating finance companies). 
• Potential for 95% prefunding and progress payments.
• Quick financing approvals.
• No property lien needed.
• Utility On-Bill Repayment (OBR) option. 

The WECA Board of Directors recently established a committee focused on identifying individuals who have made great contributions to the growth and success of WECA. The first individual the committee was excited to honor was Frank Vellutini, and they commissioned this video to celebrate his legacy.

WECA honors and remembers Frank Vellutini and his enormous contributions to our association, our apprenticeship programs, and the greater merit shop electrical industry.

Frank was the Chairman of the Board of Royal Electric Company, and was a distinguished member of the Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA) since 1971. He also served on WECA's Board of Directors from 1992-2016, and as Vice President and President from 1993-1994.

Please enjoy this video in which we celebrate his life, his work, and everything he did for our association.

WECA Grad and Member Contractor Pavletich Electric & Communications, Inc. Employee Tanner Nicks Makes Electrical Construction & Maintenance Magazine's 2024 30 Under 30 Cohort

WECA grad Tanner Nicks, a journeyman electrician for WECA Member Contractor Pavletich Electric & Communications, Inc., was recently profiled in Electrical Construction & Maintenance Magazine for making their 2024 30 Under 30 EC&M Electrical All Stars cohort! We loved the story of how the apprenticeship training he received at WECA prepared him to be a leader and teach others.

Excerpt courtesy of Electrical Construction & Maintenance:

Born in Bakersfield, Calif., Nicks completed his five-year apprenticeship through the Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA). "The training I have received has given me the confidence and knowledge to be responsible for being in charge of jobs as well as the safety of others when working on the job site that I am in charge of," he says.

As a journeyman electrician and lead for his company, his day begins with obtaining material for the daily work. He also sets aside work for employees depending on their knowledge and experience. He enjoys teaching the people who work for him faster ways to do certain tasks and answering questions about electrical installations or operation of electrical equipment.

"Teaching is a very rewarding process that my role includes," he says.

You can read the whole article at EC&M (registration required).

Watch below:



WECA Commercial Electrical Apprentice Tristen Pierce encourages young people to consider electrical careers through outreach as a Young Life leader and in partnership with WECA.

Content Courtesy of: ArborXR



WECA's multi device management solution provider, ArborXR, learned about WECA Apprenticeship Programs' original virtual reality development, and approached us with a request to do a case study on our VR application. We appreciate that they found WECA's custom VR development--which currently focuses on an application which takes our apprentices through a pre-commissioning experience on a Commercial Battery Energy Storage System jobsite--worthy of a deeper dive. WECA's Maris Kaplan (Apprenticeship Curriculum Development Manager), Joshua Simpson (Apprenticeship Curriculum Developer), Alyssa Bradley (Education Technology Specialist), and Michelle Gilkey (Chief Growth and Innovation Officer) were all interviewed for the article.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 

Case study courtesy of ArborXR:

Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA) is a trade association with training and apprenticeship programs in California, Arizona, and Utah. WECA has been training electrical professionals since 1929. It counts some of the nation’s largest electrical contractors as members.

WECA builds industry leaders through top-tier education. Its latest training innovation is custom VR.

The Search for Innovation

WECA has a history as an early adopter of technology. They launched online training in 2009, years before the rest of its industry.

“Our goal isn’t to use technology for technology’s sake. Rather, we ask where we can use technology to make our program stand out as providing better education and opportunity for the electrical industry.” – Michelle Gilkey, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer

In 2019, the association’s Board of Directors saw virtual reality’s potential to close the gap between classroom and real-world experiences for apprentices that they serve. It partnered with a third-party developer to create a VR training program, which offered WECA a chance to prove the concept of VR’s use in their apprenticeship programs. “Our curriculum is constantly striving to incorporate real-world skills and scenarios. Everybody got really excited about the opportunity to simulate a real job site.” – Maris Kaplan, Apprenticeship Curriculum Development Manager

When adopting any new technology, there’s always a bit of a learning curve. But the benefit was so tangible to the instructors, they couldn’t wait to learn and utilize VR training tools.

“It was fun for everybody to have something fresh. It’s nice to get away from ‘lecture, quiz, lecture, quiz cycle.’” – Joshua Simpson, Apprenticeship Curriculum Developer

Apprentices were excited. Most of them had never experienced immersive technologies. They stayed engaged and gave positive feedback after their experience was done. Just as importantly, instructors were excited to have a new tool in their arsenal. 

Just as WECA was beginning to ideate on how best to implement XR, COVID-19 shut everything down. Apprenticeship programs slowed as safety measures sent everyone home. WECA pivoted to existing distance learning technologies like video and interactive online demonstrations to keep its apprentices learning without disruption. Despite this, WECA recognized VR’s lasting potential for their apprentices and contractor partners. They weathered the pandemic, continuing to brainstorm for the day that they could resume their innovative work.

Discovering Motive: A New Way to Create VR Content

With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, WECA was ready to revisit the plan to deploy VR across their apprenticeship programs. By this point, they had realized that bringing creation in-house offered greater control and the ability to iterate on training quickly.

“We really like to get feedback from instructors and students as soon as we can so we can start improving what we’ve created.” – Maris Kaplan, Apprenticeship Curriculum Development Manager

WECA did their research and landed on Motive.io, a VR training platform that allows organizations to create and control VR training content from a central hub. In the VR industry, tools like Motive are commonly referred to as ‘authoring tools.’ 

Motive utilized technical and product specifications and wireframes provided by the WECA team, to build 3D environments and assets. WECA’s instructional designers then used the 3D renderings to build detailed, adaptive, and engaging training experiences. In late 2023, WECA launched its first original VR program, a gaming app to teach about Commercial Battery Energy Storage Systems.

“One of the huge benefits of using Motive is we are able to make adjustments almost instantaneously. We can sit in the class and make improvements so users have a better experience, learn more effectively, and aren’t hindered by the technology.” – Maris Kaplan, Apprenticeship Curriculum Development Manager

For WECA, teaming up with Motive and having a platform to easily customize and grow their content was a game-changer.

The Challenges of Quest for Business

For their first exploration with VR, WECA chose Quest for Business for device management services. Quest was offering the platform for free at the time and in these early stages, it was necessary to keep a tight control on costs. 

Unfortunately, Quest for Business came with unforeseen challenges. The WECA team found that support for Quest for Business was almost nonexistent. They had no help with troubleshooting or tech challenges.

“We were able to explore Quest for Business and learn as we went along. But our main issue was the support. When we ran into problems or needed assistance, it was really difficult to get the help we needed.” – Alyssa Bradley, Education Technology Specialist

With 120 headsets to manage, the lack of support became an obstacle. WECA needed a solution that would save their team time and energy so that they could focus on what mattered most, their learners.

The Solution: Partnering with ArborXR

Motive introduced WECA to ArborXR, a leader in device management. With ArborXR, organizations can manage VR devices, deploy content, monitor use, and control the headset experience, all remotely and at scale.

The hardest part about the transition was factory resetting all the headsets. The team at WECA’s headquarters had to walk through the process remotely with staff spread across three states. Thankfully, it was smooth sailing after installing ArborXR.

“What we found was that the Meta lobby wasn’t great for us, whereas ArborXR Home, gave us more control over the learning environment. The simplification of getting into the apps was a huge help that ArborXR provided. ” – Joshua Simpson, Apprenticeship Curriculum Developer

The WECA team appreciates how ArborXR Home lets them control the learning environment. Students can’t download random new programs, a risk of using Quest.

Success Through Innovation

WECA doesn’t innovate for innovation’s sake. As an official Apprenticeship Ambassador of the United States Department of Labor, their priority is clear, to ensure their registered apprenticeship training is accurate, effective, and safe. VR is exceeding expectations, and helping WECA remain at the leading edge of what apprenticeship can deliver.

“We’ve been able to determine that students who got the VR experience definitely had excitement to learn. And they had great results on competency assessments afterwards.” – Michelle Gilkey, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer

The better prepared a tradesperson is by their training, the safer and more effective they will be on the job site. Contractors hire WECA apprentices, confident they can handle any situation that might arise.

More than 1,200 WECA apprentices have participated in WECA’s in-house developed VR experience so far. 160 students completed the custom VR training within eight months of its 2023 rollout alone. And efficiency will continue to rise as WECA iterates, adapts, and expands their VR offerings.

The Future of Electrical Apprenticeship Training

VR training provides data for constant improvement. Instructors can see exactly which concepts give students a hard time.

Assessment scores in the background of WECA’s virtual training programs don’t affect the student’s grade, but help highlight areas where the course material needs to be clearer or go more in-depth.

“Soft skills” training is one of the next VR concepts WECA’s radar. Skills like teamwork and conflict management are notoriously difficult to teach. Yet they are central to what makes WECA graduates so successful.

“We want our apprentices to be leaders. They often become job site supervisors before they’ve even graduated. We want WECA graduates to be known for their critical thinking, their leadership skills, their willingness to collaborate, because ultimately that makes them more successful and helps our contractor members to be more competitive.” – Michelle Gilkey, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer

As the US navigates a critical shortage of tradespeople, trades education is increasingly important. VR training is a powerful tool in creating a confident, skilled, and engaged workforce in less time than traditional training programs. This is why WECA is the preferred apprenticeship leader in California, Arizona, and Utah. Considering custom VR training? ArborXR partners with hundreds of content creators to ensure your custom content can be made effectively and efficiently.

WECA California Member Contractors: You Can Utilize GoGreen's Expanded Business Energy Financing Program to Offer Customers New Eligible Energy Upgrades Like Solar PV and Battery Storage, EV Charging, and More

Learn More at GoGreen Business Solar and Storage Webinar on Wednesday, July 31 at 9 AM

GoGreen's Business Energy Financing Program is expanding, and GoGreen is holding a GoGreen Business Solar and Storage Webinar on July 31 to educate attendees on new program measures, financing options, payment terms, expanded qualifying criteria, and more.

A reminder from GoGreen Business Energy Financing Program about their program benefits:

• No dealer fees.
• Special Interest Rate Buy Down Promotion…rates as low as 0% (3 participating finance companies). 
• Potential for 95% prefunding and progress payments.
• Quick financing approvals.
• No property lien needed.
• Utility On-Bill Repayment (OBR) option. 

All California contractors are welcome to attend the webinar, regardless of whether they are a current GoGreen contractor or interested in becoming one.

When: Wednesday, July 31 at 9 AM

Where: Zoom

Register for the webinar here.

 

WECEF is proud to congratulate the 2024 WECEF Scholarship winners! This year's scholarships will help support 22 talented and dedicated Electrician Trainees in continuing their educations with WECA. Please join us in congratulating the recipients, and congratulations to our Member Contractors who see an employee's name on the list below!

Eduardo Andrade-Ramirez

Joshua Angulo

Hunter Backues

Dale Cohn

Adam Gardner

Chavez Garner

Micah Kirk

Nhattinh Le

Luis Alejandro Macias

Daniel Martinez

Tobias McMullen

Jacob Medina

Christian Mendoza

Jose Uriel Morales Hernandez

Nathen Morse

Nick Palmer

Gregorio Perez-Garcia

Omar Pinot

Edwin Romero

Joshua Romero

Michael Ulisny

Michael Watkins

WECA Member Contractors: Encourage Your Electrician Trainees to Enroll ASAP to Get the Classes They Need

Lots of Journey Worker Continuing Ed Options, Too

Our Fall 2024 (Oct-Dec) course catalog is now available for enrollment on our website! Encourage your employees to enroll ASAP to get their spots--instructor-led courses fill quickly.

Many self-paced online options are also available. Your electrician trainee and journey worker employees can learn anytime, anywhere.

View the Electrician Trainee course catalog

Your employees can also enroll over the phone at (877) 444-9322, in person at our Rancho Cordova training facility, or by email at info@goweca.com.

 

Support WECA Graduates by Sponsoring Their Graduation Events


 

Dear WECA Member Contractors, Industry Partners, and Industry Supporters,

WECA is proud to announce the WECA California Graduating Class of 2024!

These Commercial Electrical, Residential Electrical, and Low Voltage Apprentices--as well as Electrician Trainees in our GetWired Electrician Trainee Certificate program--have successfully completed their education with WECA!

Help us honor their achievement with your sponsorship of their graduation event(s) on:

- Saturday, September 28, 2024 at Temecula Creek Inn (44501 Rainbow Canyon Road, Temecula, CA 92592) from 4:00 to 7:30 PM for Southern California graduates.

- Saturday, October 5, 2024 at The Sacramento Zoo (3930 West Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822) from 1 to 4:30 PM for Northern California graduates.

Make their graduation memorable. Your sponsorship can allow you and members of your team to attend and meet the graduates--especially meaningful for them if you're their contractor. Plus, you can meet WECA instructors and staff, other member contractors, and electrical industry supporters as well.

Your sponsorship will be recognized at both graduation events!

Please consider the sponsorship opportunities available at the link, and thank you for your support of electrical and low voltage education!

Sincerely,

The WECA Graduation Team

Reserve your sponsorship package

WECA Low Volt Apprenticeship Instructors John Arias and Randy Rivera and Apprentice Curriculum Developer Joshua Simpson made some more progress on our Low Volt Apprenticeship Data Room Lab upgrade! Lately they've installed and subsequently painted fire-rated plywood on one wall, placed a lab entrance step and door frame, worked on installing a raised floor, and wired and powered up the lab space receptacles. 

We are thrilled to be getting closer to completion, and can't wait to see the finished product! Fantastic work, everyone!

Share in Their Graduation Event with Video, Pictures, and Memories of the Celebration
 

On June 22nd, 2024, WECA held a celebratory event to honor the first-ever graduating class from our WECA Utah Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program.

Please join us in reliving some great moments as we celebrated the WECA Utah Class of 2024!

Congratulations to the WECA Utah Class of 2024!

We were thrilled to celebrate their hard work and accomplishments at their graduation event on Saturday, June 22nd in Salt Lake City.

Don Black, WECA CEO, shares how meaningful it was to see our first-ever graduating Utah class celebrated by their families and employers, such as WECA Member Contractors Hunt Electric and Helix Electric, in addition to Rena Maza, the Apprenticeship Navigator for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, and Scott Romney, the Commissioner of Apprenticeship Programs for Utah.

Don also highlighted how gratified we are by the continued support and generosity of our Member Contractors and graduate gift donors (Milwaukee Tool, Klein Tools, Platt Electric Supply, and Build26), which helped to make the event even more memorable.

Talon Pobuda, Apprenticeship Manager and Lead Instructor for the WECA Utah Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program, says that the graduation "Was a fun and lighthearted event to reward the graduates' hard work. It was awesome to hear several of the graduates speak about their appreciation of WECA's program and methods. WECA's goal is not just to make journeypersons--it is to make the best electricians and future leaders in Utah. This group of graduates are fine examples of exactly that, and I am grateful and proud to have helped them get where they are now. The presence of Member Contractors underscored their support and reflected the strong community within WECA. Special guests like Scott Romney and Rena Maza highlighted the state's endorsements of our efforts. Generous donations from Industry Partners like DeWalt, Milwaukee Tool, Klein Tools, Platt Electric Supply, and Build26 provided valuable tools and swag and enhanced the experience for our graduates."

Congratulations, graduates! We are immensely proud of you, our first graduating class, and look forward to all that you will accomplish in the future as contributors and leaders to the electrical industry in Utah!

WECA thanks our sponsors and graduate gift donors for making the first-ever WECA Utah Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship graduation extra special for our graduates!

Your Employees Can Expand Their Knowledge of NFPA 70E Requirements, Develop Selected "Competent Person" Skills, and More, in This Self-Paced Online Course




 

Do you have employees who could become more valuable to your business by updating their health and safety leadership skills?

Encourage them to enroll in WECA's "Health and Safety Leadership" course, in partnership with WECA educational partner ClickSafety, to gain 16 hours of California Electrician or VDV/FLS Technician Continuing Education for successful completion.

In this course, students focus on development of selected “competent person” skills, as well as expanded knowledge of NFPA 70E requirements. The term "competent person" is used in many OSHA standards and documents, and is defined as "one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them." This course provides students with competent person training in the areas of excavations and fall prevention.

The course also covers:

• Demonstrating leadership basic skills
• Motivating others through effective communication
• Creating a positive safety culture
• Conducting safety meetings
• Understanding liabilities related to supervisory responsibilities
• Identifying potential hazards
• Mitigating potential hazards
• Investigating accidents
• Investigating accidents
• Heat illness prevention

And more!

Total class hours available: 16

Standard tuition fee: $359

Learn more about and enroll your employees in Health and Safety Leadership here.

 

WECA's 2024 Commencement Ceremonies for our Northern and Southern California graduating Apprenticeship and Electrician Trainee Certificate Program Classes of 2024 will be held on the above dates! 

WECA California Member Contractors--please watch your inboxes for sponsorship and ticketing details--coming next week! We look forward to celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of our graduates with you!

 

WECA was thrilled to recently host summer skilled trades interns (who are high school students) from Member Contractor Royal Electric Company at our California headquarters in Rancho Cordova!

Apprenticeship instructors John Arias and Bob Boling gave a presentation before conducting a tour of the facility and guiding interns during hands-on demonstrations.

Thank you, Royal Electric Company, for letting us inspire your interns to continue pursuing careers in the electrical industry! We had a wonderful time, and hope to see them again very soon -- as WECA electrical apprentices!

Stay tuned for a special publication featuring the first-ever WECA Utah Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship graduating class! We celebrated their graduation last weekend, and have pictures and video coming your way soon. In the meantime, meet our valedictorian and salutatorian!


 

WECA is proud to present the inaugural Utah Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program Class of 2024 – including its Valedictorian, Austin Weaver, an employee of WECA Member Contractor Helix Electric.

Austin reports that his WECA education was “a nice blend of being challenging, engaging, and interesting. Between the presentations of need-to-know information and the labs, I felt my confidence grow in what I could expect in the field and in myself. The two-week class format was something I really enjoyed because I felt that I could focus on my learning without the exhausting demands of a full workweek.”

Additionally, Austin says that his apprenticeship with WECA has prepared him for his career by exposing him to the resources needed to be a successful electrician and teaching him how to navigate those resources.

“Much of the knowledge I’ve learned has contributed to a broader intuition that will surely help me in the many critical thinking situations I will be faced with in the future. My education will also help me connect with the upcoming generation of electricians that go through the program and enable me to help them with questions they have by using on-the-job situations as teaching points. Frankly, it will also help me be a better mentor and provide an effective bridge between school and work,” says Austin.

As a complement to his WECA education, Austin’s on-the-job training with employer Helix Electric made him adaptable and laid the groundwork for his work processes. Austin’s on-the-job training also allowed him to learn from his successes and failures, as well as those of others.

Austin credits his success at WECA to WECA’s curriculum, his determined and focused spirit, and his support system.

“Some of the factors that contributed to my success at WECA, in my career, and in becoming valedictorian of my class include the profoundly well-thought-out curriculum that WECA offers, my willingness to learn from the many electricians I’ve been able to work with, and my determination to aspire to and accomplish lofty academic goals,” says Austin. “My success is due to the support of others. I’ve been blessed to work around people who actively help me to become better. I intend to pay that forward.”

Austin encourages current and future apprentices to “be humble – if you’re struggling with something in school or at work, look at it as an opportunity to grow instead of a stab at your pride. Struggles expose us for who we currently are so we can tend to weaknesses and become all the better. Another bit of advice is to really take your class time at WECA seriously. If you learn as much as you possibly can in the classroom and couple that with your hands-on abilities from the field, you will be an effective and confident electrician who will be trusted.”

Furthermore, Austin credits his mentors, instructor, and family for helping propel his success.

“I would like to give a shout-out to Jon Hunt for inviting me to apply at Helix and join the electrical trade. I will forever be indebted to him,” says Austin. “I’d like to thank Ryan Harwood, Joaquin Gomez, and Derek Ferguson for mentoring me throughout my career so far. I’d like to thank Talon Pobuda (WECA Utah Apprenticeship Manager and Lead Instructor) for his excellent teaching and keen interest in our success as skilled workers. And I’d like to thank my parents, siblings, and extended family for their love and support as I’ve progressed along my career path.”

After graduating from WECA, Austin plans to further his electrical industry education, finesse his performance and leadership skills, and “become an invaluable asset to Helix Electric and continue to provide my best work for them.”

Congratulations on your graduation, Austin! Your humility, drive, and grit have paid off – and will continue to take you far. The Utah electrical industry is lucky to have you!

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If there’s one thing that WECA Utah Class of 2024 Salutatorian and Hunt Electric Commercial Electrical Apprentice Landon Doty could change about his apprenticeship experience, it would have been to start in the WECA program through Day 1.

“Having gone to other schools first, I can confidently say that I would love to have started from the beginning with WECA,” says Landon. “We discussed some of the curriculum that my class didn’t get to cover elsewhere, and some of the material that we did get to cover at WECA…I can only imagine how much better it would be to have gone through WECA sooner.”

“WECA is fun. Having many more labs than previous schools was a treat. WECA also gave me access to many concepts, products, and scenarios that I had never seen until it was required of me. I can now more confidently approach numerous uncommon tasks. I have spent many hours being moved around with tasks and learning new ways of approaching tasks. Learning to install is important, but having the chance to learn how to learn has been greatly beneficial,” continues Landon.

Outside of the classroom, Landon is tremendously thankful for his on-the-job apprenticeship experience with employer and WECA Utah founding Member Contractor Hunt Electric.

“I am lucky enough to have the opportunity through Hunt to work on a one-of-a-kind project. I look forward to being able to see such an incredible project through,” says Landon. “It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime project that I am blessed to be a part of. I look forward to learning more and improving further. As wonderful as it is to finish school, I still can’t help but feel that I have so much more to learn.”

Landon also attributes his success to being focused and detail oriented.

“I have always been more of a meticulous person,” says Landon. “I like to understand the ‘why’ just as much as the ‘how’. This has helped me be able to prioritize tasks, and information needed for a task. Being able to differentiate is great for using time and energy efficiently.”

And last, but not least, Landon credits his mom and dad with contributing to his success.

“Their continuous support has been nothing short of a miracle and a blessing,” says Landon. 

Content Courtesy of: California Department of Industrial Relations


 

This standard applies to most indoor workplaces and requires safety measures to go into effect when the indoor temperature reaches 87°F to prevent the risk of heat illness to workers  

Sacramento—The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved on June 20 an indoor heat standard to protect indoor workers from heat illness. The new regulation will require?indoor workplaces to be cooled below 87 degrees Fahrenheit if feasible when employees are present, and below 82 degrees if feasible in places where workers wear protective clothing that restricts heat removal or work in high radiant heat areas. 

Local and state correctional facilities as well as emergency operations directly involved in the protection of life or property are exempted from the proposed regulation for indoor heat. Cal/OSHA is in the process of developing an industry-specific regulation for local and state correctional facilities to protect their workers from indoor heat hazards. In the interim, for these exempted employers, Cal/OSHA will continue investigating potential indoor heat violations under existing regulations such as the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (Title 8, Section 3203) and Water Supply (Title 8, Section 3363). 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:?On June 20, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved California Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 3396, “Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment.” The Office of Administrative Law (OAL) has 30 working days to review and approve or deny the proposal. The Standards Board requested that the regulation take effect immediately after OAL approval. 

WHY IT MATTERS:?Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment regulation applies to most indoor workplaces, such as restaurants, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities. For indoor workplaces where the temperature reaches 87 degrees Fahrenheit, employers must take steps to protect workers from heat illness. Some of the requirements include providing water, rest, cool-down areas, methods for cooling down the work areas under certain conditions, and training.  

Employers may be covered under both the indoor and outdoor regulations if they have both indoor and outdoor workplaces. See the Comparison Chart of Indoor and Outdoor Heat Illness Prevention Standards. 

The?Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, a seven-member body appointed by the Governor, is the standards-setting agency within the Cal/OSHA program. The Standards Board's objective is to adopt reasonable and enforceable standards that are at least as effective as federal standards. The Standards Board also has the responsibility to grant or deny applications for variances from adopted standards and respond to petitions for new or revised standards. 

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Employers and workers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call?Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch?at 800-963-9424. 

There are more resources for employers and workers on Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention web page and the 99calor.org informational website, as well as a Heat Illness Prevention online tool. The advisory includes a toll free number for workers who have questions about heat illness prevention in indoor and outdoor places of employment can speak with a Cal/OSHA representative, 1-833-579-0927, and information on how to file confidential complaints with Cal/OSHA district offices about workplace safety and health hazards.  

Content Courtesy of: Construction Dive


 

Benefits of using the tech on building projects include a competitive safety culture, risk mitigation and flagging contracts for delay provisions.

By: Matthew Thibault

SAN DIEGO — Across the country, construction firms are using artificial intelligence to improve their safety cultures, monitor their legal documents for questions and issues and manage project risk.

Speakers and panelists from firms including Balfour Beatty, Rosendin and Joseph J. Albanese spoke to attendees at the ENR FutureTech conference in San Diego from June 3-5 about the benefits they’ve reaped from AI. 

AI dominated contractors’ predictions as one of the breakout technologies of the last year, and since then has changed how business gets done across the globe. However, contractors have also urged caution, as the technology remains in a Wild West-like state At the conference, speakers said many aspects of the tech’s impact on construction still remain unclear. That’s especially true when it comes to AI and the labor crunch. 

Read the rest of the article here.

California Member Contractors: Remember to Save the Date to Celebrate Your Employees at Their 2024 WECA Northern California and Southern California Graduation Ceremonies


 

WECA's 2024 Commencement Ceremonies for our Northern and Southern California graduating Apprenticeship and Electrician Trainee Certificate Program Classes of 2024 will be held on the above dates! 

WECA California Member Contractors--please watch your inboxes for sponsorship and ticketing details to come! We look forward to celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of our graduates with you!