March 23, 2012...

Electrical construction apprentices displayed their skills in installing electrical components and circuitry at the recent 2012 Electricians Competition and Career Fair. The annual event, hosted by Trident Technical College, was sponsored by the Charleston Electrical Contractors Association (CECA); Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester Council of Governments; Career Cluster Partnership-Construction Trades; Trident Workforce Investment Board; and Carolinas Construction Solutions dba CCS Construction Staffing LLC.

The competition allowed high school students and first-, second-, third- and fourth-year electrical construction apprentices to compete with the skills they have gained through practical experience and classroom instruction.

First-place competition winners in each category were: Travis Merritt, Dorchester County Career High School; Jake Lane, Dorchester County Career High School; Cody Russell, Goose Creek High School; Jo Cote, Trident Technical College; Robert Ott, first-year apprentice with WD Robinson; Russell Michi, second-year apprentice with Metro Electric; Joe Donahue Jr., third-year apprentice with EIDeCo; and Lance Williams, fourth-year apprentice with Delta Electric.

Employers from the tri-county area were also on-hand at a career fair to discuss career opportunities for electricians.

A registered apprenticeship program is a paid, in-house training program that combines classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Working in accordance with standards set by the company and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, an apprentice earns a nationally recognized certification as a Journeyworker upon completion of the program. More than 1,000 occupations qualify for apprenticeship training.