Local IBEW path to Great Career!
Creation Date: 10/26/2020
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 538 serves Vermilion and Iroquois counties in Illinois, as well as three counties in western Indiana. In 2016, Local 538’s Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee (JATC) partnered with Vermilion County Works (VCW), the WIOA Title I provider for Local Workforce Area #18 for assistance with their local training of apprentices. By getting Local 538’s JATC on the statewide list of eligible training providers, VCW was able to fund Related Training and Instruction (RTI) and supportive services for the local apprentices.
This partnership has continued to flourish with funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity with the awarding of the Illinois Apprenticeship Expansion grant to VCW. This grant has allowed the funding of seven IBEW apprentices that began training last year, and an additional six new apprentices for this year.
Joe Stelzer, JATC Training Director for IBEW Local 538 states, “The partnership with Vermilion County Works has been paramount to the continued success of our electrical apprenticeship program. The coordinated effort on both fronts has allowed our apprenticeship program more flexibility in providing better training and job placement. This partnership began at a time when our local was in a slower period of work and under immense strain financially. With the funding provided we have been able to continue with actively accepting apprentices that we would otherwise not have been able to accommodate. Because of this, the lives of those who have been selected have been forever changed and we as an apprenticeship thank you for that opportunity. Our success is yours as well and we look forward to continuing with this endeavor.”
IBEW apprentices’ wages while training range from $15.15/hr for beginning apprentices to a full journeyman wireman wage at $36.08/hr after completing the 5-year training program. Apprentices earn wage increases after completion of hourly benchmarks, with 8,000 hours required for full journeyman wireman certification.
Local 538’s apprenticeship program has earned several honors: Outstanding Apprentice Awards, Outstanding Apprentice Instructor, and Excellence in Training Award. The local also participates with area schools in career fairs, college fairs, FFA, 4H and the Vermilion Advantage program.