It’s no secret that there has been a massive shortage of skilled trades workers in America in recent years that has led to a skills gap. Local non-profit Building Omaha is doing their part to promote the union electrical construction industry and train people for high-tech, high-benefits, and high-paying jobs.
In fact, a brand new Electrical Training Center coming to 8960 L Street in Omaha. The groundbreaking event was held Friday, October 23 from 10am-12pm. The new 24,000 square foot addition to their current training center will put the campus over 56,000 square feet. And it’s in high demand as they currently have a waiting list of nearly 300 for their apprentice programs.
America will face a shortage of electricians in the near future, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). The trade group says that 7,000 electricians join the field each year, but 10,000 retire. The BLS reports that employment of electricians is projected to grow 10% from 2018 to 2028 — faster than the average for all occupations. Their findings also show that skilled trades like electricians once again top the latest list of the most difficult-to-fill job openings.
“We’re excited to be able to offer training for more high paying jobs to our community in this high demand field,” said Allan Hale, National Electrical Contractors Association Executive Director. “We are proud of our apprentice program that equips people with skills, training and leadership they need to succeed. We are seeing a high demand for electricians in our market and our new training center addition will help us train more people to help handle the future needs of the area.”
College is not for everyone and joining the skilled trades is a great way for people to earn while they learn, all tuition-free. Their current training building was built beginning in 2002 with no major upgrades since the grand opening. Just over 1,000 have graduated from the programs since the building was opened, so it’s time to modernize and update.
About Building Omaha
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) works together with The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) to provide their customers with the highest level of trained professionals in the electrical industry. Building Omaha (IBEW-NECA) is a nonprofit organization
established through a collective bargaining agreement devoted to promoting the union electrical construction industry through advertising, publicity, continuing education and a wide range of services to both the union and management members.
