LOUISVILLE – Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) joined members of the KentuckianaWorks Board, the Louisville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, union representatives, and employers to congratulate the second class of the KentuckianaWorks Electrical Boot Camp. The event was held at the Louisville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee facilities at 4315 Preston Highway, Suite 100, in Louisville.

“Congratulations to the graduates of the Electrical Boot Camp program, who took advantage of an opportunity that will open the door to many more as their careers advance,” Yarmuth said. “This program is a great example of the kind of targeted federal investments that put more Americans back on the job and restore economic prosperity for working and middle-class families.”

The Electrical Boot Camp is a KentuckianaWorks partnership with skilled-trades unions to help put more area residents, including women and minorities, in skilled-trades employment. Members of both classes were recruited from the KentuckianaWorks Construction Pipeline program. 

Participants are given stipends totaling $1,200 for completing the training, accepting employment and completing 30 days of employment. Participants also receive tools they will need during training and will use once on the job. KentuckianaWorks provided an estimated $30,000 in federal job-training funds for the two boot camps.

“Construction, manufacturing and related trades jobs are the bedrock of what we need to focus on to rebuild our middle-class economy which will build stronger families and a stronger city economy – and this program is making that happen,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.

The first three-week boot camp began March 12 and had nine graduates, including seven minorities and one female. Six of those graduates have already found work. Five were placed in entry-level electrical jobs and one entered the apprenticeship program sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the national Electrical Contractors Association. The average starting wage for boot camp graduates is $11.50 an hour.

Seven people will graduate from this class, which began April 9, including five minorities.

“The Electrical Boot Camp is a natural progression of the KentuckianaWorks Construction Pipeline programs,” said KentuckianaWorks Board Chair James C. Worthington, Sr. “This course provides each worker with the skills to find entry-level employment in a stable career. As the economy continues to improve, more and more electricians will be in demand for construction jobs, for home repairs and industrial work. KentuckianaWorks is proud to partner with the Louisville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee on this program.”

During the three-weeks of training, participants complete three days of industry awareness and 10 Hours of OSHA Construction training, as well as CPR certification, first-aid certification and blood-borne pathogens certification. Participants learn to safely use the tools of the trade, work with all types of electrical systems and get hands-on experience with basic circuitry, wiring, fabrications, and conduit bending.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for unemployed, underemployed and low-income area residents to learn what they need to enter a stable career, gain skills and get a preview of the work electricians do,” said Steve Willinghurst, Louisville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee Director of Education and Training. “Employers who are working with the participants get the opportunity to find great candidates who have learned the skills, have interest in the trade, have aptitude for the work and have the initiative to become a great member of an electrical team.”

KentuckianaWorks is Greater Louisville’s Workforce Investment Board and offers many programs that help unemployed and underemployed adults, and laid-off workers find jobs and training, and provide counseling for youth and adults who need to complete their GED or find assistance with postsecondary education.

Workforce Investment Act funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet and administered by KentuckianaWorks, an agency of Louisville Metro Government.