• Posted: May 12, 2023
• Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Trust, Electrician, female electrician, female leader, Harold Washington Library Center, I Squared R, I2R, IBEW Local 134, Jovan Grant, McCormick Place, Shirley Williams-Mayes, Sisters of the IBEW Local 134, Union Electrician

For 36-year electrician Shirley Williams-Mayes, working in construction and following in the footsteps of her father, a union carpenter, was a no-brainer.

“Being a young, single mother, I wanted a career that could take care of me and my son,” said Williams-Mayes. She joined the IBEW Local 134 in April 1987 after working as a laborer for two years.

While mother of son Jovan and adopted daughter Dena, Williams-Mayes knew the excellent pay and benefits a union career provides.

Her son, Jovan Grant, who is now an IBEW Local 134 electrician as well, attests to the impact his mother’s union career benefits provided for their family.

“As a single mother, raising a young Black man in the city of Chicago? I don’t think anyone could have done a better job. She worked in a field that wasn’t built for her, put me into the best private schools, made sure I had a great education, made sure that I stayed on a straight and narrow, made sure I wasn’t left out to the streets like so many other young Black men in my position,” said Grant.

Despite the job’s benefits making it a no-brainer to pursue, she couldn’t have imagined the interesting jobs she’d work on and the famous people she’d meet along the way.

Electrifying North America’s largest convention center

Williams-Mayes spent the first 13 years of her career in industrial and commercial construction. She then transitioned to a more “entertaining” career, supplying electricity, sound and audio at McCormick Place.

At McCormick Place, Williams-Mayes was part of several major events and shows, including the 2012 NATO Summit and former President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election night event. Her work also connected her with Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Smokey Robinson, and Bernie Mac.

Williams-Mayes is proud to have now spent over 21 years of her career at McCormick Place as a journeywoman, foreman and general foreman audio technician.

While all of those rank for memorable experiences, Williams-Mayes didn’t hesitate when asked about her favorite project.

“Working on the Harold Washington Library Center was very memorable. He was Chicago’s first African American mayor and I was glad to be part of that in the early ‘90s,” said Williams-Mayes.

Encouraging the next generation of electricians

One of Williams-Mayes’s most impressive accomplishments is the number of family members, friends and acquaintances she persuaded to join the trades.

“My son Jovan Grant has been in [the IBEW Local 134] for almost 18 years. My niece has been in for 12 years, I have a cousin that’s been in for seven years, several friends and a great niece that just took the test a couple of weeks ago.”

Grant says he remembers his mom instilling a strong work ethic into him at a young age, taking him on his first job around age 13 to help a friend rewire their grocery store. That’s when her son discovered the sense of accomplishment that comes in this line of work.

“The more I went on jobs with her, I realized the satisfaction of having a starting point and then when you finish, you created something. You fix something. You solve something,” said Grant.

Not only did the job intrigue Grant, he also looked up to his mother for the reputation she built for herself in the industry.

“The respect she would get from her peers, men and women, Black, White, Hispanic, whoever. That inspired me,” said Grant.

Advocating for women and minorities in the trade

Even outside of her friends and family, Williams-Mayes likes to pay it forward by advocating for electrical careers, especially for minorities and women.

“I’m a big advocate for women in the trades. I helped to start the Sisters of the IBEW local 134 and was the first president. I also like to talk to young people, encourage them, teach them about safety and the importance of staying focused on their goals.”

“The fact that they thought of her out of all the other women in our trade to spearhead [the Sisters of the IBEW Local 134], I think that shows a lot about her leadership abilities and how much people trust her,” added Grant.

Part of that is due to the extensive professional network she’s built over the years, serving as a member of the historically African-American Electricians’ Organization, I Squared R (also known as I2R). Williams-Mayes was the organization’s first female board member and served for over 15 years. She’s also been a trustee for the Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Trust since 2010, and she was elected to go to the IBEW International Convention in 2011 as a delegate.

Serving a bigger purpose

While pay, benefits, and interesting work all contribute to Williams-Mayes’ longevity in the field, when asked her favorite part about the field, Williams-Mayes notes her ultimate purpose: “To bring light and life to a dark world.”

Whether it’s through the work she does during her nine-to-five, advocating for careers in the trades or helping others repair electrical issues, Williams-Mayes is “bringing light” to the next generation of electricians.

“I hope young people learn their trade, learn it well, continue to learn and give someone else the opportunity to learn. I want them to pass on the information they got from me,” said Williams-Mayes.

Williams-Mayes’ hopes are already being realized within her own family. According to Grant, her 17-year-old grandson is considering pursuing a career as an IBEW Local 134 electrician.

“She’s the example of someone who didn’t have everything given to them and made a way. Not only for herself but for generations after her to go ahead and make a good life for ourselves. She’s a spark. She’s a spark of the flame of my entire family, honestly,” said Grant.