Northhampton News

Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA) has made apprenticeship programs in Pennsylvania a priority during his eight years in office.

That commitment continued this month as $287,895 in funding was awarded to International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 743, according to a news release from the governor's office. The funds will be used for training for electrical industry apprentices across the commonwealth. The money comes from the Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program, part of the state's Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter and IBEW Local 743 will train 30 to 36 people from Berks, Chester, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Schuylkill counties, the news release noted.

"It's vitally important to recruit and train the next generation of workers in the electrical industry," Wolf said in the news release. "Apprenticeship programs like this one give trainees both the classroom work and the on-the-job experience to ensure there will be a continuous pipeline of talent to bolster the industry."

The apprentices will participate in a five-year program to become qualified electrical workers, according to the news release. They will receive 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 1,000 hours of classroom instruction.

"The electrical industry has created a significant demand for qualified electrical workers in our five-county area, and with the support of the DCED, our apprenticeship program will expand enrollment," Ed Bernitsky, training director of IBEW Local 743, said in the news release. "In an ever-changing industry, we can provide the most state-of-the-art training while our apprentices earn a fair wage and benefits."

The Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Grant Program "works to increase apprenticeship availability to Pennsylvania employers," the news release noted. Its main focus is talent recruitment and development. More than $13.5 million has been invested in the program through the DCED. Nearly 90 pre-apprentice and apprenticeship programs were created during Wolf's administration.

IBEW Local 743 is based in Reading and was chartered in 1918 by 14 original members, according to the organization's website. It represents a variety of employees including technicians, installers, public works employees, and communication workers. More than 600 members of IBEW Local 743 "stand for better working conditions, better wages, and better benefits."