Transformative Port, IBEW Program Sparks Electrical Careers

The Port of Long Beach July 28 paved the way for a partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers or IBEW Local 11, the regional chapter of the nation’s largest electricians’ union, to establish a new after-school training program for local high school seniors interested in pursuing careers in electrical work.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the launch of the Seniors to Electrical Program or STEP, an after-school program providing 25 local students the opportunity to participate in advanced electrical training starting this fall. Participants successfully completing the program will be offered direct entry into the highly competitive IBEW apprenticeship program, which currently has a waitlist of 4,500 people.

The program is being launched in partnership with the joint apprenticeship and training committee, which operates the Los Angeles Electrical Training Institute, the training arm of IBEW Local 11 and the Los Angeles County Chapter National Electrical Contractors Association or NECA. Instruction for STEP will occur through their nonprofit training partner Big John Kares.

Under the three-year, $453,000 contract, Big John Kares will run a pre-apprenticeship program offering more than 240 hours of after-school and weekend instruction taught by skilled IBEW electricians.

The STEP Program will leverage a partnership with the Long Beach Workforce Innovation Network or  LBWIN by offering a stipend to participating students. The partnership will also provide transportation and other supportive services to ensure students successfully complete the program.

The pre-apprenticeship will be hosted at LBWIN’s youth center, Future LB, while hands-on lab work will be completed at the Electrical Training Institute in the City of Commerce.

“This partnership is a major game-changer for the Port of Long Beach and the IBEW, offering life-changing career opportunities for local youth. This first-of-its-kind partnership will create a clear path for students to join the Port’s future workforce,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba. “Electrical demands are expected to grow significantly as we work to become the world’s first zero-emissions port, making this partnership with the IBEW a critical investment in sustainable goods movement and the future of Long Beach’s youth.”