For Immediate Release
July 25, 2024
Communications & Marketing
Virginia Peninsula Community College
[email protected]
HAMPTON, Va. – Virginia Peninsula Community College is partnering with Independent Electrical Contractors Chesapeake (IECC) to offer a four-year apprenticeship program beginning in late 2024 or early 2025.
The program, designed to expand job opportunities, will lead to an accredited Journeyworker’s license for electricians. Apprentices will work full time and attend classes two nights a week for the 8,000 hours of on-the-job and classroom training required for the license. The curriculum is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor, and students will receive certified credentials upon completing the program.
“VPCC is truly excited to partner with Independent Electrical Contractors Chesapeake to support electrical apprenticeships on the Virginia Peninsula”, said Todd Estes Vice President of Workforce Development and Innovation at the college. “ We have no doubt this effort will benefit our community by creating clear pathways for those seeking exciting careers and benefit local employer partners by providing the support they need to develop their future workforce.“
IECC has partnerships with Germanna Community College and the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) in Richmond and will begin working with Tidewater Community College in 2025.
“IEC Chesapeake is excited about the opportunity to expand the organization’s footprint further south into Virginia. For the last 15+ years the organization has offered this program in the Northern Virginia market (Dulles). As a partner with VPCC we are pleased to offer a Four- Year State and Federally Approved Electrical Apprenticeship Program to Electrical Contractors and residents looking to enter the electrical industry in the Virginia Peninsula area. This program includes hands on training as well as exposure to all aspects of the electrical industry including residential, commercial, and industrial. Also included in this program is exposure to emerging technology such as solar, electric vehicle charging, low voltage, and systems. “
Grant Shmelzer CEO/Executive Director IECC.
This program will launch for the school year of 2024-25. For more information visit: Independent Electrical Contractors Chesapeake – Home (iecchesapeake.com)
Link for Open House Event Thursday, September 18th: IECC Open House 2024 (regfox.com)
The program is supported by a federal grant the Hampton Roads Workforce Council received from the Department of Labor. VPCC is a partner on the grant and will create a position to oversee apprenticeship for 48 months using the grant.
An open house is tentatively planned for Sept. 18 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Peninsula Workforce Development Center at 600 Butler Farm Road in Hampton. The College hopes to hold a second open house when its new Trades Center in Newport News opens in 2025.
“IEC Chesapeake is excited about the opportunity to expand the organization’s footprint further south into Virginia,” said Grant Shmelzer, the CEO and executive director of the IECC. “This program includes hands-on training as well as exposure to all aspects of the electrical industry.”
For more information on the College, visit www.vpcc.edu. For more information on IEC Chesapeake, go to https://www.iecchesapeake.com. For more information on the CCWA, visit https://ccwatraining.org.
###
About the College: Founded in 1967, Virginia Peninsula Community College (formerly Thomas Nelson) serves the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg and the counties of James City and York. The sixth largest of Virginia’s Community Colleges, the College offers associate degree and certificate programs designed for both university transfer and direct entry into careers. The College also serves students with non-credit, workforce training programs and services. Classes are offered online and at the Hampton and Historic Triangle campuses, the Southeast Higher Education Center in Newport News, three Workforce Development centers, at various instructional sites in the community.
About the IEC: Since our founding in 1982, IEC Chesapeake has been the Mid-Atlantic region’s premier electrical and renewable energy contractor association and electrical apprenticeship program provider. Among the largest chapters of the national Independent Electrical Contractors Association (IEC), our members comprise more than 180 contractors and industry partners and represent more than 50,000 men and women in all facets of the electrical industry.
About the CCWA: The Community College Workforce Alliance seeks to be the go-to resource and partner for businesses and economic development organizations seeking workforce solutions and the first stop for job-seekers across Central Virginia looking for a runway to a career or advancement. As the shared workforce development division of Brightpoint and Reynolds Community Colleges, CCWA supports regional economic advancement and individual financial empowerment through industry sector strategies.
