• Posted: September 27, 2021
• Apprenticeship Program, Electrical Contractors' Association of Chicago and Cook County, IBEW Local 134, IBEW-NECA Technical Institute, Renewable Energy, Solar

The need for electricians and skilled labor is expected to soar with the alternative and renewable energies jobs projected to be created by the proposed federal infrastructure bill. Over the last 120 years, thousands of apprentices have graduated from the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (IN-Tech) in Alsip, Illinois into highly skilled union journeypersons, trained with union electrical skills.

Those wanting to learn an employable and needed skill in the growing field of renewable energy are starting their training at IN-Tech. Serving Chicago and Cook County IN-Tech’s five-year program blends in-classroom with on-the-job education to train apprentices to assemble, install, maintain and test electrical equipment and wiring systems in residential, commercial, and industrial settings.

Train Today for Skills Needed Tomorrow

Training in advanced technologies will be crucial to meet the future demand for skilled labor, according to Gene Kent, Director of IN-Tech, which like Powering Chicago, represents the labor-management partnership between Chicago and Cook County electricians and contractor members of IBEW Local 134 and the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Chicago and Cook County.

The need for skilled labor is ever-changing and the curriculum at IN-Tech has adapted to supply electrical apprentices with what the market demands. The facility is the only one like it in the nation, situated on 25 acres, featuring a state-of-the-art renewable energy training facility. The rigorous five-year curriculum includes instruction in renewable energies such as electric vehicle (EV) charging station installation, solar photovoltaic array installation, and more. To provide the best hands-on training in the region, IN-Tech’s campus includes an 80-foot wind turbine, rooftop solar installations, a 100-foot cell tower, and an 18-kilowatt solar carport with four EV charging stations.

Employment Outlook

The Chicagoland area could receive nearly $15 billion in the proposed federal infrastructure bill which will create thousands of jobs in renewable energies. The interest we’ve seen peak during the pandemic shows no signs of slowing down. Now is a great time to consider a skilled electrical trade.

Chicago has the fourth-highest employment level of electricians nationally according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and is one of the top 10 regions for pay with an average annual mean wage of nearly $85,000. Nationally, the employment outlook is on the rise for electricians, with BLS data projecting 9 percent growth in employment opportunities from 2020 to 2030.

Better Construction, Better Careers, Better Communities

Powering Chicago is proud to bring together the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 134 electricians and the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) of City of Chicago, in an electrical industry labor-management partnership that invests in consistently better construction, better careers and better communities within the metro Chicago region.

Employing the latest technology, our members are elevating industry performance through their commitment to safety, level of experience and reliability, while also investing in the future of skilled labor through an innovative apprenticeship program that is paving the way for the next generation of skilled electricians.