INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOC FLORIDA WEST COAST CHAPTER INC

EDUCATION: THE IEC-FWCC HAS BEEN TRAINING ELECTRICIANS THROUGH ITS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR 35 CONSECUTIVE YEARS (ORIGINALLY UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE ELECTRICAL WORKERS ASSOCIATION). THE FLORIDA WEST COAST CHAPTER IS PROUD OF ITS RECORD OF PRODUCING HIGHLY SKILLED JOURNEYMEN ELECTRICIANS FOR THE TAMPA BAY AREA. IEC-FWCC WAS THE FIRST IN THE HISTORY OF IEC TO HAVE A GRADUATING CLASS WITH APPRENTICES IN THREE PROGRAMS (2005): COMMERCIAL-INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICIANS, RESIDENTIAL WIREMAN, AND TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNICIANS PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION TO SERVING STUDENTS AT THE HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE (HCC), TAMPA, CLASSES ARE ALSO TAUGHT AT THE PINELLAS TECHNICAL COLLEGE (PTC) CLEARWATER CAMPUS, MARCHMAN TECHNICAL COLLEGE, NEW PORT RICHEY, TRAVISS TECHNICAL COLLEGE, LAKELAND AND TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (TCC), TALLAHASSEE. THE PROGRAMS VARY IN LENGTH FROM 2 1/2 TO 4 YEARS AND SERVE APPROXIMATELY 300 APPRENTICES PER YEAR. THE IEC-FWCC WAS NAMED THE 2018 NATIONAL CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AND EARNED THE DISTINCTION OF AN IEC CERTIFIED CHAPTER TRAINING ADVANTAGE CHAPTER.IN ADDITION TO THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, THE CHAPTER PARTNERS WITH THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES PREAPPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS OF THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE GOAL IS TO GENERATE ELECTRICAL HELPERS THAT CAN MOVE SAFELY INTO A JOB ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE, ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AS A LOYAL EMPLOYEE WITH AN IEC MEMBER CONTRACTOR, AND EVENTUALLY ENROLL IN AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. IEC-FWCC ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS IN A CRISIS DUE TO THE SHORTAGE OF TRADESMEN IN THE STATE. FREQUENT HURRICANES AND SUBSEQUENT REBUILDING EFFORTS HAVE CREATED A SHORTAGE AND THEREFORE A DEMAND FOR ELECTRICAL TRAINEES. IEC-FWCC WANTS TO OFFER THE BEST TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE STATE, THEREBY PRODUCING THE MOST COMPETENT, CONFIDENT ELECTRICIANS, RESIDENTIAL WIREMEN AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIANS POSSIBLE IN QUANTITIES THAT WILL MEET THE EVER-INCREASING NEEDS OF THIS RAPIDLY GROWING STATE. BY SUPPORTING THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES PROGRAMS WITHIN AREA HIGH SCHOOLS, STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ADVANCE IN TRAINING AND THEREFORE ARTICULATE INTO THE FORMAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OR THE WORKFORCE AT AN ADVANCED LEVEL. THE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM STANDARDS WERE REWRITTEN THIS YEAR AND IS CONSIDERED QUITE REMARKABLE AS IT IS THE ONLY SUCH PROGRAM IN THE STATE THAT INCLUDES PAID, ON THE JOB TRAINING FOR STUDENTS .IEC-FWCC STRIVES TO BE A SOURCE OF INNOVATIVE EDUCATION, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO ENHANCE MEMBER PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH APPROPRIATE DELIVERY CHANNELS, SUCH AS SEMINARS, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES, THEREBY SECURING THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES ARE PERPETUATED TO PROMOTE THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY AND THE WORK OF THE ELECTRICIAN TO SCHOOLS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS AND VETERANS. ONGOING EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS ARE OFFERED ON HOW TO RETAIN, MOTIVATE AND MAINTAIN A QUALITY WORKFORCE. IEC-FWCC PROMOTES AND PROVIDES CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR CONTRACTORS AND FIELD EMPLOYEES. CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES ARE REQUIRED FOR CONTRACTORS TO MAINTAIN LICENSURE. APPROXIMATELY 500 ELECTRICIANS RECEIVE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSEWORK EACH YEAR FROM IEC-FWCC.

ADVOCACY/POLITICAL ACTION: AS THE VOICE FOR MERIT SHOP ELECTRICAL AND SYSTEMS CONTRACTORS, THE FLORIDA WEST COAST CHAPTER ACTS AS AN ADVOCATE FOR ITS MEMBERS AT THE STATE GOVERNMENT LEVEL AND IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IEC-FWCC IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN WORKING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND THE U.S. CONGRESS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE MERIT SHOP PHILOSOPHY.IEC BELIEVES IN DEVELOPING AND FOSTERING A STRONGER ECONOMY THROUGH THE LEVEL OF QUALITY AND SERVICES ITS MEMBERS PROVIDE TO THE INDUSTRY. DRAWING FROM THE DEDICATION AND DESIRE OF CONTRACTORS IN THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR, OUR COUNTRY IS ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM A FLEXIBLE ARRAY OF SERVICES AND COMPETITIVE PRICING WHICH HELPS MAINTAIN AN AFFORDABLE LEVEL OF COSTS ON UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATION.FOR OVER SIX DECADES, IEC HAS FACED THE CHALLENGES IMPOSED BY THE EVER-CHANGING WORLD OF THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY. IEC ATTEMPTS TO FURTHER THE GROWTH OF THE U.S. ECONOMY THROUGH SKILLED MANPOWER AND THE PRINCIPLE OF FREE ENTERPRISE AND WORKS AGGRESSIVELY TO ESTABLISH AND PROTECT A FREE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE MERIT SHOP.