• Posted: September 18, 2018
• ABC’s Built to Last, better careers, better communities, better construction

Through our partnership with the Carpenter’s union, IBEW Local 134 was offered three segments on ABC’s Built to Last this year to positively highlight the impactful work Local 134 brothers and sisters do throughout the Chicagoland area. Built to Last captured our members rebuilding homes during Rebuild Chicago in April, putting in motion Chicago’s iconic bridges along the river, and profiled a now-second year apprentice who is climbing the ranks and had already decided at a young age he wanted to make a career within the electrical industry.

For every worker that’s here, I am so grateful and I’m so thankful
Built to Last highlighted the 40 electrical contractors and nearly 100 Local 134 electricians who gave up their last Saturday in April to participate in Rebuild Chicago, a day-long event aimed at giving back to the Chicagoland community and those less fortunate. For one day only, Local 134 brothers and sisters – as well as other union tradesmen and women – helped a select number of Chicago residents with work around their homes. This year, between North Lawndale and Bellwood, over 50 homes were updated to become safer and up to code. Built to Last camera crews followed Local 134 electricians around for the day and showcased the work we did inside many of the homes.

They’re showpieces; they’re absolute showpieces
It takes more than meets the eye to raise 27 bridges over four hours across Chicago’s iconic winding river and viewers got a behind-the-scenes look on one episode of Built to Last this year. Camera crews went into the bridge towers and down underneath street level to get a firsthand look at how Local 134 electricians move these staples that line the Chicago river. Built to Last highlighted the electrical work needed to get these bridges raised up so boaters can move their boats from storage to the lake.

“Back in the day when they built them in 1929, from the lightbulbs to the main motors and gate motors, everything was 600-volt DC, so they manned them with electricians,” said Local 134 electrician, Jim Hayes. “They have electricians here 24 hours a day.”

He gets paid to be in school
Built to Last also highlighted the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute and the Local 134 apprenticeship program. By following Rico Smart, a now-second year apprentice, viewers got an inside look at the rigorous apprenticeship program our members must go through. As a second-year apprentice, Rico got a head start on industry knowledge by taking advantage of Chicago Builds, a training program for high school students to gather information about the trades before becoming an apprentice. Rico said he had known since early high school that he wanted to be an electrician and is making the most of his time at the school and in the field gathering information from 134 brothers and sisters. Built to Last also showed viewers the tremendous benefits offered to our apprentices who go to school tuition free, get paid, and obtain valuable industry experience on jobsites.