• Posted: November 5, 2021
• IBEW Local 134, IBEW Renewable Energy Fund, IBEW-NECA Technical Institute, Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy Training, Solar, Solar Training

 

Powering Chicago’s commitment to better careers was on display when we partnered with Commonwealth Edison and Illinois IBEW’s Renewable Energy Fund to present a five-day solar cohort training program for Chicago-area high school students. The program included five days of training at the IBEW/NECA Technical Institute, followed by work on the job with a local electrical contractor. Illinois is a leader in the renewable energy space and as the industry continues to grow in our state the need for skilled labor is going to increase dramatically.

“The summer solar program started as a response to COVID and how it affected our solar training at our partner high schools,” said Bob Hattier, director, Illinois IBEW Renewable Energy Fund. “The Illinois IBEW Renewable Energy Fund is happy to partner with three high schools in the City of Chicago to offer solar training. The graduated seniors from this year are all here now to get some hands-on training and some further instruction before they go out into the field.”

The team was joined by 3^rd District County Board Commissioner Bill Lowry, who praised the IBEW for its “commitment to economic equity and investment in our youth.” Lowry encouraged the students to keep up their hard work and studies, saying, “we need you to keep working hard. And as you go forward, lead us and teach us the importance of renewable energy as together we try to preserve this planet. We need to do that together. You’re going to lead us there.”

According to Joe Kilcoyne of IBEW Local 134’s Renewable Energy team, the last day of the training culminated with the students working to put together a solar energy system. The students participated in an installation exercise in which they worked as a team to learn how to safely put together and test a system.

IBEW Local 134 business manager Don Finn thanked ComEd for their support and partnership, which was invaluable in helping to bring the program to the community.

“It’s exciting to see you embarking upon something new and exciting in your life,” Diana Sharpe, VP Economic workforce and development, ComEd, shared with the students. “Congratulations. We’re here for you. We support IBEW and we’re glad to be a part of your journey.”

The program aligns with Powering Chicago’s work to increase access to opportunity through programs like this. Elbert Walters III, executive director at Powering Chicago told the students, “If you’ve got exposure and you’ve got access, it doesn’t mean anything else unless you have the opportunity.”

“As part of Powering Chicago’s commitment to better construction, better careers, better communities, the Renewable Energy Training Fund and the Craft Apprenticeship Program gives us an opportunity to involve the community in what we do,” said Walters.

Brandon Johnson, the 1st District County Board Commissioner, is happy to see the program’s impact. “This is connecting labor to make sure that our communities thrive. The best opportunity we have every day is the chance to work, make a decent living, be able to support your families, be able to retire with some dignity, and to make sure that the generation behind you carries on the same tradition.”

Providing the next generation of energy workers, with a qualified workforce to install solar energy systems around Cook County, is part of IBEW Local 134’s mission.

“This training here today is the gateway for all of these students to become that qualified workforce,” said IBEW’s Hattier.