Web site steers students to careers in electrical trade

A new Web site created by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA--www.necanet.org) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW--www.ibew.org) provides students a direct connection for exploring careers in the electrical industry.

The multimedia site, www.electrifyingcareers.com, presents students, parents, and guidance counselors with an informative starting point to discover diverse opportunities available to those who enter the field.

"Our goal with the Web site is to make students aware of a career path that prepares them to become qualified professionals in an exciting and expanding industry," says E. Milner Irvin, president of NECA. "Many successful electricians become foremen, supervisors, estimators, and move into management positions, even running their own electrical contracting companies."

"The need for skilled workers in the electrical industry is growing fast," says Ed Hill, president of IBEW. "This is a field that cannot readily be outsourced to other countries and offers educational opportunities, mobility, health insurance, and pension coverage."

At the Web site, students can browse through descriptions of nearly 60 different jobs in the field, from computer-aided design operator to marine electrician and transportation signals installer. They can learn about training programs that can take them from apprentice to journeyman and beyond. Students also can view video testimonials from young people who share their stories of success in the electrical trades.

For parents, the site offers information that helps them speak knowledgeably with their children about the possibilities of a career in the electrical industry. The site's organizers say parents will develop a deeper understanding of the myriad specialties within the electrical and high-tech information systems industry, and discover which opportunities may be right for their child.

Guidance counselors can use the site as a tool in advising students who are anxious for the real world of work. A career action kit entitled "You've Got the Power" contains detailed materials on how students can learn critical career skills through industry-supported training, earn competitive wages from the outset, and receive on-the-job training.