Page 18 - IEC Insights Mar-Apr19

FEATURE

eaders at the Independent is a great example how Emerson’s arrived on the jobsite. Lehr developed
Electrical Contractors Centex Greenlee Tools is evolving education to a series of standardized competency-
Chapter in Austin, Texas, are make this a reality. Steve Lehr, Director, based, hands-on modules that provide
working to solve a problem – Vocational Business Development for key skillsets required by employers as
L a lack of skilled new hires. As Emerson’s Greenlee Tools, developed and they enter the workforce. In partnership
more apprentices join the workforce implemented the hands-on program. with the National Coalition of Certification
with hopes of easing the labor shortage, Centers (NC3), students that successfully
contractors are battling a problem “GreenApple Labs is built to support complete courses in the five core
of unproductive work hours. the current educational curriculum that electrical categories: bending, cutting
is in place through various channels and termination, fishing and pulling, test
To address this, contractors are while including hands-on tool training,” and measurement, and wire pathways,
investing time and resources to teach says Lehr. “Contractors were telling me are awarded a certificate, their diploma
apprentices how to perform the job the newly made journeymen or their and journeyman license. Completed
which decreases productivity. new employees just didn’t have enough certificates meets Industry Based
experience, and they were training them Credentials (IBC), which are recognized
“We are trying to find different types in the field, which can be costly.” by the state and several national certifying
of training that we can bring to the IEC entities (BICSI, ETA-I). The hands-on
for our contractors because they’ve Kiser recently completed GreenApple program includes a series of training
expressed that some type of training Labs’ train-the-trainer program, which modules that not only educates students
is needed for new hires prior to them means he can bring the education on new technology that an electrician
showing up to the job totally green – no program back to the Centex Chapter to may need to know, e.g. cutting, crimping,
experience whatsoever,” says Dan Kiser, train apprentices and any journeyman but reinforces fundamental basics.
membership director of the Independent needing additional training. “It’s a
Electrical Contractors – Centex Chapter. good program and a new direction that Washburn Institute of Technology,
Greenlee is taking the industry,” says Kiser. located in Topeka, Kansas, is one of the
More contractors and manufacturers 28 of institutions in 16 states across the
are placing a premium on training to GreenApple Labs was introduced to help country to implement GreenApple Labs.
have an apprentice electrician ready alleviate the problem of apprentices not When Clark Coco, dean at Washburn
to work day one. GreenApple Labs knowing how to use a tool when they Tech, met Lehr at an NC3 meeting,

LEFT Paul McAndrew, Vice President and
General Manager Greenlee at Emerson,
delivers a keynote address during the
grand opening of Washburn Institute of
Technology’s 8,000 sq. ft. Green Apple Lab.
TOP RIGHT Student, John Ma, learns to bend
conduit using a hand bender. Ma describes
GreenApple Labs as a “practical” way of
educating future electricians because they have
hands-on experience with the tools that they
will use in the field. Students that successfully
complete GreenApple Labs are better prepared
to accomplish tasks on the job site on day one.
BOTTOM RIGHT Washburn Tech student,
Kobe Reid, learns how to properly wire a
lighting circuit. Students blend core equipment
knowledge and competencies with electrical
instruction before they enter the workforce
allowing them to be more productive and
valuable for their future employers.

16 Insights Magazine | March/April 2019 | www.ieci.org