Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Second-year WECA Commercial Apprentice Michael Crossman's passion for the electrical trades started when he was just 15 years old.
"I really enjoyed wiring up stereo systems and knew that there was something more to that," said Crossman.
But getting into the electrical trades took some time for him because he took opportunities in other trades first. However, Crossman stated that "the other trades were just a job and a paycheck, and I knew that; I always looked to see if there was an opportunity in the electrical trade but never got the chance until I found [employer] Hy-Lang Electric. Once I worked my way up in the company to an apprentice, the electrical trade quickly turned into a passion and that's when I realized that I finally found my trade."
After Crossman was hired on with Hy-Lang Electric, he started his WECA Apprenticeship and found that it was a great opportunity to learn a lot.
"I enjoy taking what I learn in class and in labs and applying those concepts on the job site," said Crossman. "I'm able to understand what and why I'm doing something because I'm learning electrical systems more in-depth, which lets me then install [systems] quickly and accurately."
Crossman continued, stating that "by far, my favorite things that I have learned [during my Apprenticeship] are completing the labs and working in the codebook. I enjoy applying the concepts I learned in class to the labs, and I benefit from familiarizing myself with the codebook every single day on the job site. And Rick [Mortensen] is my favorite and primary instructor - he's always there for questions and is very by-the-book, which helps me learn a great deal. I feel comfortable asking him for help and he's very reassuring."
As for what advice he'd give to his fellow apprentices - or future apprentices - Crossman had this to say: "Ask the questions that you're thinking, and study hard. If you put in the effort, then it will pay off!"
And last - but not least - Crossman offered high praise for WECA and its Apprenticeship programs, stating that "WECA's Apprenticeship has made me feel like I am ahead in this trade. I thoroughly understand what I am doing on the job site and know why I am doing it, which is very beneficial. There aren't a lot of electricians that understand the why's [of what they are doing] and WECA really helped teach that. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity that Hy-Lang Electric and WECA have given me!"
Thank you, Michael, for being part of the WECA family, and we are glad to hear that we have played an integral part in your incredible success!
|