With new ways of generating and storing electricity, today’s energy industry is changing faster than potentially at any other time in history. Debates about “the grid of the future,” distributed generation and the role of utilities in the 21st century energy landscape dominate industry forums. Now more than ever, choosing the right strategic partners can impact project success, customer experience and industry growth.
In this shifting landscape, an alliance with a skilled workforce like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and its partners in North America’s Building Trades Unions can yield valuable returns. IBEW electricians have logged millions of solar work hours nationwide representing thousands of megawatts and millions of tons of greenhouse gas reductions. They have supported some of the nation’s most successful renewable energy policies, such as California’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to achieve 33% renewables by 2020, and have committed millions in pension funds to cleantech projects. They are also investing in cutting-edge training for sustainable technologies, like energy storage and electric vehicle charging, to keep our workforce ahead of the curve. In fact, strategic alliances with IBEW’s skilled labor force can help build the solar industry faster, farther and stronger, all while creating seamless installations, quality careers and customer value.
Offering a skilled, dependable workforce when and where you need it
Delivering a flawless project starts with the team. Whether your focus is utility-scale or distributed generation, partnering with skilled union labor is the most effective way to ensure you are working with properly trained, dependable professionals. Through its national Electrical Training Alliance, IBEW and industry partners operate 300 training centers throughout the United States and Canada where they have trained more than 350,000 apprentices to Journeyman status.
IBEW members assemble a solar panel array at a utility-scale project in California.
IBEW’s core curriculum, like other union crafts, includes a solid foundation of baseline skills, customized by region, to incorporate state certification laws and other mandatory requirements. In addition, its training facilities and programs comply with applicable state and federal laws so there is no question as to whether your team has received the proper training from a reputable provider and carries the appropriate credentials.
Whether your company is bidding a 1-MW project in New Jersey, building a 200-MW project in California or doing thousands of rooftop solar installations across 16 states, partnering with the IBEW and its skilled trade allies provides the peace of mind of being one phone call away from as many qualified professionals as you need, anywhere in the country, often with as little as a day’s notice.
For industry partners, this professional network is the key to success and it starts with IBEW’s training. Union apprenticeship programs are self-sustaining and have been producing quality craftspeople for more than 70 years. It is an “earn-while-you-learn” system combining practical hands-on learning with classroom education on topics like codes, best practices and theory. For each hour worked, members contribute a small amount into a fund covering training expenses, including facilities, curriculum, instructors, supplies and other essentials.
In the IBEW, apprentices work on the job under the supervision of a Journeyman, take classes at one of the training centers and earn college credit, all while receiving a paycheck and benefits. As apprentices gain experience and skills, they advance in the program, earn raises and, after roughly 8,000 jobsite hours and 900 classroom hours, graduate as Journeymen themselves, ready to teach the next generation. Today’s entry-level IBEW apprentice installing solar panels on a roof may be the future Journeyman electrician wiring a combiner box on a utility-scale installation or the safety inspector visiting the project site. This system keeps the workforce safe and productive, builds solid career paths and enables IBEW to provide talented craftspeople at competitive rates.
An IBEW Local 569 apprentice on top of the solar-powered IBEW Union Hall in San Diego.
Leading in safety and innovation
Accidents on the job can be devastating, particularly in the fast-moving solar industry. Whether you directly employ your own installation team or contract with an electrical partner, ensuring proper safety training and complying with certification standards and labor laws is the best way to keep your personnel safe from hazards like falls or electrocution.
Working with the IBEW and its construction allies is the simplest way to ensure your solar workforce has the appropriate training, skills and credentials for the job at hand. OSHA safety is part of IBEW’s core curriculum and its local unions employ knowledgeable experts to help you navigate everything from prevailing wage to licensing requirements that vary across states and municipalities.
Contributing to policy and regulatory discussions
The benefits of building strategic alliances with the IBEW and its construction allies go beyond the tool belt. With more than 120 years of industry experience, local, state and national relationships and a dedicated track record of civic engagement, IBEW brings a distinct perspective to policy and regulatory discussions. Through local unions, state associations and its international office, the IBEW tracks the latest policy trends and regularly connects with decision makers. In addition, its membership spans the United States and Canada making it well-positioned to meet local community hiring targets and facilitate introductions with key decision makers. Union members are active leaders in the communities where they live, work and volunteer so IBEW understands the complexities of decision-making and what it takes to successfully build a reputable industry from the ground up.
Starting is easy
Any partnership begins with a conversation, and IBEW’s goal is to build lasting relationships based on mutual trust. Whether your interest is a specific project, policy initiative or broader industry goal, there are many easy ways to get the conversation started:
- For projects in a specific location, contact the business manager of the IBEW Local Union in that area: ibew.org/tools/local-union-directory
- For multi-state or industry initiatives, contact Jerry Westerholm, construction and maintenance director, at 202-728-6075 or construction@ibew.org
- For policy collaboration, contact Ann Miller, political and legislative affairs director, at 202-728-6046 or ibewpoliticaldept@ibew.org
This article was contributed by Micah Mitrosky, environmental organizer of IBEW Local 569.
The unions in stlouis that I’ve contacted about solar installation add so much labor costs to the project- making project unfeasable economically. So I then requested lesser known or smaller companies with less overhead. Guess who the union hall referred me to- “the same big companies that made the job economically out of reach for my clients”. In other words: I felt the union hall played favoritism on who their referrals went to and didn’t listen.