Page 7 - TTMNSummer2024

STEM/Construction
Teaching Today Minnesota | Summer/Back to School 2024 Page 7

Urgent! Electricians Needed!

Electricians, oh how we need them! To Check out this link and the ad below for
keep our lights on, to make certain all of our information on our Apprenticeship education.
gadgets are charged, to make certain WiFi https://www.electricalassociation.com/Online/
is up and running. Electricians power our Online/Education/Apprentice.aspx
homes, schools, and communities. Now add The strong need for electricians results
all the movement to clean energy by 2040 to in high wages. Typical starting wages are
their workload including electrical vehicle $18.00-$24.00 per hour. Wages will vary
charging stations, solar and other renewable geographically, but licensed electricians in
energy, building automation, we need more the Twin Cities metro area are making over
electricians! $50.00 per hour. Regardless where you live,
At a recent career fair in Monticello, as an electrician you will make well over the
1100 students were required to have a certain median wage for your area. You can f nd more
number of vendors sign off on their career fair career information at https://www.electricalas-
sheet. I must have looked like an easy target sociation.com/Online/Online/CareerCenter/
because many students not interested in con- Aspiring_Electricians.aspx
struction still visited my table. I was able to The Electrical Association has compiled
ask dozens of students if they were familiar a lot of career exploration information on our
with the apprenticeship model of education. website. I will also speak to classes or attend
Most weren’t. We need to do better as explain- career fairs or potentially f nd a contractor
ing apprenticeship as a great way to train for member to do so if schedules allow. Please
a career. reach out if you would like me to talk to your Construction Teacher Conference!
Apprenticeship is a method of training students.
where an apprentice electrician is partnered The Electrical Association partners with Project Build Minnesota to
with a licensed electrician and supervised until Michelle Dreier bring other construction trades information to you and your students.
that apprentice gains licensure. This process Director of Member Engagement & Every year we bring you a Construction Teacher Conference. The next one
takes four years. While not mandatory to gain Government Affairs is May 1-2, 2025. It will be hosted by ISD 916 and participants will get to
license, many apprenticeships pair the on-the- Electrical Association tour the home built by students as part of their construction program. We’ll
job training with related technical instruction P: 612.827.6117
(RTI). Electrical Association offers this RTI to mdreier@Electricalassociation.com also have more information on the MN Housing Finance Agency’s Housing
electricians of both member and nonmember Challenge initiative (also see page 8) that may help to fund your school’s
contractors. construction program. https://projectbuildmn.org