Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), from November 13-19, is a celebration where industry leaders—including electrical wholesale distributors like City Electric Supply (CES)—can shed light on registered apprenticeship opportunities. Many of our customers rely on apprentices to complete their projects.

The Power of Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a form of training that blends on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. A formal program is designed to help students prepare for specific trades. 

Electrical work is no exception.

Generally, electrical apprentices are mentored by experienced professionals in the field. These experts offer guidance, support, and feedback with the goal of helping apprentices develop their skills.

Here at CES, we previously wrote a piece on how to become an electrician’s apprentice. To receive the required certification and training, aspiring apprentices can go directly to a union, non-union, or local program. Alternatively, they can enroll in a vocational school and then apply for an apprenticeship. 

Electrical Instructor of Edison Academy Joseph Wolfe has only good things to say about this approach. 

“Proper training of methods, techniques, and skills in a controlled environment ensures the success of future electricians,” he stated.

Why Work as an Electrician?

There are many reasons to work as an electrician—and in the electrical industry in general.

Job opportunities are just the beginning. Just last year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported around 762,000 electrician jobs in the U.S.

But that’s not all. In the electrical field, team members will also have greater job stability. And over the next 10 years, the demand for new electricians will be double the national baseline. 

The reasons to work in the trades don’t end there. Apprentices are paid to work while they learn, building valuable skills at every juncture.

And CES welcomes team members from all walks of life, including those who began their careers as apprentices. 

“I joined City Electric Supply after seven years of hands-on experiences in the field,” said Branch Manager Tim Brown. “It’s helped me to have walked in the customers’ shoes and know their needs.”

This is essential to the customer-first approach we take at CES.

Fulfilling Careers at City Electric Supply

Electrical apprentices can expect plenty of room for growth.

Just look at 32-year-old CES District Manager Anthony Bottino. Bottino got his start in the trades back in 2006, working as an electrical contractor’s apprentice while in high school.

Today, he takes pride in mentoring others. 

“The ability to see people change their lives is something I find more rewarding than any of the individual gains I experienced early in my career,” he explained in tED Magazine. “There are ample opportunities in this industry, and I try to make sure that message is relayed to new CES team members.”

All it takes is patience, hard work, and motivation. There are many ways to join the industry, and at CES, there are  great opportunities for growth within the company.

“City Electric Supply has always put people first and invested in the development of dedicated, hard-working employees,” Co-CEO John Gray shared.

Apprentices can work their way up in the trades here too.

CES has always welcomed former electrical apprentices from all backgrounds. On behalf of our team, we encourage you to celebrate NAW with other apprentices within our community.