The local JATC recently held its 67th Annual Graduation Ceremony
The Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) in Lanham, Md. recently celebrated the graduation of 161 students. These men and women, 16 of whom are military veterans, completed the electrical apprenticeship program and became Journeyman Electricians.
The 67th Annual Graduation Ceremony, that took place at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Md., recognized 156 students who graduated from the JATC’s five-year Inside Wireman program. Graduates from this program completed over 800 hours of classroom instruction and 8,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training over five years. Five students graduated from the three-year Telecommunications program and an additional ten Residential Wireman were upgraded to Inside Journeyman.
The apprenticeship is a challenging program that combines classroom learning with on-the-job experience – all while being paid. “We are really proud of our graduates, and so are our signatory contractors who partner with IBEW 26 in running this great apprenticeship school.” said JATC Director, David McCord. He highlighted the value of the program including recognition by President Obama who visited the JATC facility in 2010. “We’ve had over 4,000 applications to this program this year and that is a testament to how we prepare young people for these great careers,” he added.
Valedictorian Jason Wright praised the skills and values gained through the program: “Excellence is not an abstract idea, but a way of life for us. Consistently striving for excellence sets us apart as union electricians.”
Wright graduated with an average of 97.17 percent on his tests and only missed one day in five years. Unlike many of their contemporaries, Wright and his fellow graduates will earn $84,800 a year plus benefits with no student loans to pay off as Journeyman Electricians.
The JATC is sponsored by the Electrical Alliance, a cooperative effort between the Washington, D.C. Chapter of National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 26.
Photo Caption: Class of 2013: JATC graduates 156 from five-year electrical apprenticeship program on June 1.
