IEC Atlanta CPE Recap
On January 17–18, IEC Atlanta hosted its first Certified Professional Electrician (CPE) exam of the new year. Participants included:
- Elijah Salim – Data Power Source
- Jason Omar Morrison – MetroPower, Inc.
- James Moreno – Henderson Electric Company, Inc.
- Edgar A. Davila – MG Electric, LLC
A&T Committee Chairman George Thess and A&T Committee Contractor Member Blake Behr, Ridgeline Electrical Industries, served as proctors.
“As someone who has taken over 15 masters exams, I have high praise for the CPE Certification. It is a test that truly has, at its heart, the aim to identify, certify, and praise the skilled electrician, and not just the good test takers,” said Behr, president of Ridgeline Electrical Industries.
“The written and hands on tests are indeed a challenge but are only for those who wish to show their hunger and set themselves apart,” Behr added. “It includes hands-on switching, transformers, motor controls, troubleshooting, conduit bending, and much more. The exam also includes a written test that is more challenging than most masters tests I have taken. The bar is set high, the pass rate is low, but the prestige is just. As a business owner, these are the team members you are looking for. This test truly separates the installer from the Certified Professional Electrician.”
James Moreno passed the exam and is the first apprentice in 2020 to receive this credential.
“I am extremely proud of the apprentices and graduates that stepped up to get their Certified Professional Electrician credential. The time, effort, and dedication these individuals invested to prove their knowledge and skills to the industry show they are committed to the merit shop philosophy of performing for great pay and benefits,” said chapter Associate Executive Director Todd Hawkins.
IEC Atlanta will host its second CPE exam on April 20–21 during its 2020 Power Show at the Jim Miller Park and Convention Center in Marietta, Georgia. Additional CPE testing dates are:
- April 24-25 – IEC Ft. Worth/Tarrant County
- May 8-9 – IEC El Paso
- May 8-9 – IEC of Greater Cincinnati
- May 15-16 – IEC Dallas
- October 28-30 – IEC Convention & Expo
MindTap Included on CMS for 2020–2021 School year
IEC Bronze Partner Cengage Learning is providing access to its online learning center MindTap at no charge to all IEC students beginning in the 2020–2021 schoolyear. This digital resource includes access to Cengage publications Electrical Wiring–Residential and Electrical Grounding and Bonding. Access to MindTap is through the IEC CMS.
Specific benefits for chapters and apprentices include:
- Online study tools including notes, highlights, bookmarks, and creating image or text-based flashcards
- Access to skill building simulations outside of the classroom
- Access to an electronic copy and audio book for each text
- Access to soft skills and job readiness learning modules
- Immediate retrieval of performance and grades
- More efficient course management and administration
“IEC Rocky Mountain is excited to be working with Cengage and their MindTap resource for the Electrical Wiring– Residential and Electrical Grounding and Bonding curriculum,” said chapter Training Director Paul Lingo. “This will provide our Next Generation Electrician with an interactive digital platform filled with fantastic visual aids and simulators that are vital to understanding the theory, wiring methods, and code enforcement in today’s electrical industry.”
“We’re enhancing IEC’s four-year curriculum to reflect what chapters and students have been asking for,” said A&T Chairman George Thess. “We hear you and are happy to add another resource to the CMS library.”
Improved ACE Application Process Increases Submission Numbers
In 2019, the process for IEC apprentices to apply for college credits through ACE, the American Council on Education, received a substantial update. Some chapters have seen an increase in ACE applications as a result, such as Mid-South IEC.
“The new process IEC National developed for current and former apprentices to receive ACE college credits is terrific. The application process is easy, simple, and there are no fees the apprentices need to pay,” said Mid-South IEC Executive Director Walt Czyrnik. “Within just the first three days of explaining this process to our apprentices, we received 67 applications as opposed to receiving less than a dozen applications in the past ten years. Additionally, we are now receiving calls from IEC graduates inquiring about receiving their college credits. This new method emphasizes to the industry the value of being an apprentice through the IEC.”
To learn more about ACE and apply for college credits, visit www.ieci.org/training-college-credit. For additional assistance, contact IEC Director of Education Patrick Merkel at pmerkel@ieci.org.