Washington D.C.’s Electrical Alliance contractors ensure area high school students success in the electrical industry through True High School Real Life Internship Vocational Experience (T.H.R.I.V.E.).The Electrical Alliance is a cooperative effort between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26 and Washington D.C. Chapter of National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). T.H.R.I.V.E. started as a summer internship program in 2009 at Electrical Alliance contractor, Truland Systems Corporation, as an effort to recruit and introduce high school students interested in applying to the electrician’s apprenticeship program and has grown with support of general contractors, mechanical subcontractors, and Electrical Alliance members including Truland Systems Corporation, Dynalectric Companies, Freestate Electrical Companies and Nationwide Electrical Services
T.H.R.I.V.E. is now a year-round, stand alone, nonprofit foundation and program that hosts students from Washington, D.C. vocational and/or public charter schools. The program identifies and prepares students by offering a school-year “Introduction to electricity course” and a six-week summer internship, giving students a taste of electricity and electrical construction wiring, and prepping students for the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) exam.
Students selected for the internship work 30-40 hours weekly, receive pay, evaluations, professional mentoring, community service events, field trips, on-the-job training and weekly tutoring sessions in math and reading.
“These students undergo rigorous criteria to be accepted,” said Nate Curtis, T.H.R.I.V.E program director. “Once selected, NECA contractors mentor students and make it their priority to prep these students to be successful not only in the construction and electrical industry, but also as a member of society. The industry’s embrace of the program is exemplary, and has led the program to be successful today.”
Program applicants must be 16 years of age, meet GPA requirements, produce negative drug screens results and have exemplary attendance and behavior records. Applicants must then successfully register for the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment (SYEP) and submit an internship application, formal resume, recommendation letters and be interviewed.
The JATC, sponsored by the Electrical Alliance, offers accredited apprenticeship programs that prepare students to excel in tomorrow’s electrical industry and continuing education that readies experienced electricians for work on tomorrow’s systems. Approximately 100 apprentices graduate each year.