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CONTACT: Gretchen Newsom, 619-208-4853

June 24, 2024

IBEW Local Unions Announce New Apprenticeship

Initiative for Battery and Advanced Manufacturing Sectors

[San Francisco, CA] Local Unions of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the world’s largest union of workers in the electrical industry, today announced the creation of the Clean Transportation and Advanced Manufacturing Electrical Training Trust. This new apprenticeship training initiative draws on IBEW’s 133 years of electrical experience to prepare today’s workforce for the industrial, manufacturing and technology jobs of the clean economy.

IBEW has committed national resources to develop customized training for individual workplaces in collaboration with employers. Apprenticeship and skilled training opportunities will include Medium/Heavy Duty Clean Vehicle Mechanics, Industrial Manufacturing Technicians and other battery and advanced manufacturing careers.

IBEW has dedicated electrical training centers in more than 35 locations along the west coast of the United States, which give electrical workers classroom and lab training to go with the on-the-job skills they learn in a paid apprenticeship. In addition to advanced manufacturing, the new training trust creates the opportunity to use these facilities for new and emerging clean technology sectors like zero-emission vehicle maintenance.

Amalia Arroyo, Business Manager of IBEW Local 1710 in El Monte, CA commented, “For as long as there has been electrical manufacturing, IBEW has represented workers and worked with employers. As an IBEW Local who represents members in manufacturing, I am thrilled to be part of this effort bringing joint labor-management apprenticeship training to the Advanced Manufacturing sector. This will raise standards in the industry and establish a practical, high-quality model that can be replicated across many types of manufacturing companies.”

Nate Fairman, Business Manager of IBEW Local 465 in San Diego, CA stated, “As transportation shifts to zero-emission, there is growing demand for mechanics like those IBEW Local 465 represents at San Diego Metropolitan Transit System to learn the electrical skills necessary to safely repair and maintain electric buses, trucks and other medium and heavy-duty vehicles. Batteries present electrical hazards to workers and this new initiative will upskill our existing workforce while equipping the next generation of mechanics to safely work on zero-emission, clean transportation technologies.”

Bob Dean, Business Manager of IBEW Local 1245 in Northern California noted, “Thanks to the Federal Infrastructure funding, we are seeing the biggest expansion in domestic manufacturing in a lifetime. The success of this growth hinges on a properly trained, qualified workforce. We launched this new initiative to deliver this critical apprenticeship and skilled training in manufacturing that meets the highest industry and safety standards.”

Robert Corona, Business Manager of IBEW Local 11 in Los Angeles, CA said, “The IBEW is on the cutting-edge of sustainable technologies, including batteries. We look forward to leveraging our decades of apprenticeship training in construction, the gold standard in the industry, to bring best practices to the battery and advanced manufacturing sector.”

Jeremy Abrams, Business Manager of IBEW Local 569, San Diego and Imperial Counties said, “Our local members in Imperial County were early pioneers in building large utility-scale solar and battery energy storage projects in California. We are now ready for the next wave of work opportunities through Lithium Valley. This new apprenticeship training initiative will enable us to provide the skilled training necessary to scale up a skilled manufacturing workforce in Imperial County and we stand ready to partner with manufacturers to successfully deliver a secure, domestic supply chain of high-quality battery components.

Jim Willson, Training Trustee noted, “Whether manufacturing components, recycling materials or maintaining zero-emission vehicles, the battery industry needs a widely available, properly trained workforce to be successful. This new initiative provides the apprenticeship resources to support these training needs while also satisfying community benefit and workforce provisions for companies pursuing public grant funding.”

IBEW 9^th District International Vice President Dave Reaves commented, “Like President Biden, when we think about climate action, we think about union jobs. The unprecedented federal investments from the Biden Administration are creating high demand for skilled workers in a variety of battery sectors from manufacturing components to recycling and repurposing to troubleshooting and repairing electric trucks and buses. The IBEW is ready to meet this moment and we are bringing national resources to this initiative spearheaded by Local Unions to make sure these sectors are creating middle-class, union career opportunities in the IBEW.”

The joint trust which includes management representation and IBEW Local Union representatives throughout California held its inaugural meeting on May 1st and is presently meeting with employers interested in bringing these training resources to their workforces.

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The Ninth District of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represents over 156,000 members who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government in the states of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawai'i and the northern portion of Idaho, as well as Guam and Saipan.

 IBEW members manufacture electrical components that power our communities, batteries and other electrical storage devices.

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(Additional photos available upon request. Photo attribution: IBEW 465)