The Independent Electrical Contractors’ Class of 2022 Enter Job Market with Job Security through IEC’s Operation Graduation
Arlington, VA — May is National Electrical Safety Month, and in a time when workers are needed more than ever, the Independent Electrical Contractors’ (IEC) apprentice graduating classes of 2022 know just how important safety on the job, and in the job market, truly is. Across the U.S., hundreds of IEC apprentices are graduating this summer, with a secure job, zero post-secondary education debt, and rigorous training.
IEC’s Operation Graduation program celebrates these apprentices’ hard work, accomplishments, and bright futures while following 2022 IEC President Troy Corrigan and other IEC representatives as they travel the country to speak at several graduation ceremonies. Operation Graduation also serves to showcase that IEC’s Apprenticeship programs are not just an alternative to college but, rather, an equal option. Because of this, graduates are recognized for their significant accomplishment, completing a four-year program for a career in an industry that promises fulfilling work. Work that is respected, well-compensated, and highly demanded.
While the job market is making a large comeback after the pandemic downturn, there is still much anxiety and deep uncertainty for those graduating from traditional colleges. Many students struggle to find jobs while carrying mountains of college debt. The electrical contracting industry was deemed essential throughout the pandemic and represents a stable, sustainable opportunity for all job seekers. In fact, the industry sector has a critical shortage of workers, often pushing wages higher in the skilled trades.
The electrical contracting sector represents a stable, sustainable opportunity for all job seekers including graduating high school students, military vets, women, minorities, and people seeking to make a career change.
IEC offers careers in electrical contracting that are more than just working at a jobsite. Far from a boring or mundane field, recent technology innovations and a push for climate-friendly renewable energy make this one of the most exciting times ever to be an electrical contractor.
Electricity is at the heart of every technological advance, which translates into career security and living wages well into the future. Advanced levels of workplace safety technology are rapidly evolving in areas as diverse as smart buildings and homes, drones, artificial intelligence, 5G, 3D Building Information Modeling, image recognition and prefabrication. All this leaves no question that it is electricians who will power this new world.
About Independent Electrical Contractors
IEC is a nonprofit trade association federation with 52 educational campuses and affiliate IEC local chapters across the country. We represent over 3,600 member businesses employing more than 80,000 electrical professionals throughout the United States and educate over 14,000 electricians and systems professionals each year across America. Since 1957, we’ve trained close to 300 thousand apprentices in the U.S. IEC contractor member companies are responsible for over $8.5B in gross revenue annually and are some of the premier firms in the industry.
Press contact: Mikayla Hrinowich, mhrinowich@ieci.org