For tradespeople, staying sharp means staying competitive – and IBEW Local 1687 makes that possible for its members across Northeastern Ontario with ongoing training programs built into membership and apprenticeship programs. This allows their electricians and other skilled workers to keep pace with evolving standards and emerging technologies.
This isn’t just a benefit to the workers; contractors benefit too, as they gain access to highly trained union professionals who deliver quality and safety on every job. According to Patrick Fleming, Director of Education for IBEW Local 1687, developing versatile tradespeople is at the core of the training programs offered by IBEW Local 1687.
“Because there is so much variation in our trade, it requires a lot of different skill sets,” said Fleming. “That’s why we need to stay on top of the skills that help us succeed at work.”
Chartered in Sudbury in 1951, IBEW Local 1687 represents over 700 members across Northeastern Ontario that work in all aspects of the electrical trade. Fleming said that with cross-training, some union members become specialized and licensed as welders, instrumentation technicians, crane operators, and hoisting and rigging crew members.
“There are a lot of niche markets within the electrical trade that allow people to specialize,” said Fleming, Director of Education for the past two years with the local. “Keeping on top of training and integrating it into our apprenticeship programs allows our members to get exposure to more learning opportunities, that makes us stronger in our market share. It also makes our contractors stronger when they can hire electricians with many different skill sets. That’s part of the reason we offer so many different types of training.”
Training opportunities are being utilized by both young apprentices who want to quickly learn and grow as well as senior members who want to brush up on their skills or adopt new capabilities. It’s another benefit of union membership according to Fleming.
“I can certainly understand that from a contractor’s perspective, that investing money in people can seem difficult,” said Fleming. “Our members recognize the value. It’s a boon to contractors to have access to people who are varied in their skill sets and who want to learn. The people who want to learn are some of the hardest working individuals and are always looking to improve their skills.”
Here are some of the training opportunities currently available to IBEW Local 1687 members.
IBEW Local 1687, in partnership with the Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC), can provide the following WHSC courses:
- WHMIS
- First Aid/CPR
- Working at Heights, and WAH Refresher
- Mobile Elevated Work Platform (Scissor and Boom)
- Forklift
These courses, along with all WHSC’s training catalogue, meet or exceed the provinces’ training guidelines and allow workers to proactively identify, assess, and eliminate (or control) hazards in the workplace.
The IBEW, in partnership with NETCO, have developed several trade specific courses that are available to IBEW members across Canada. They include:
- Hoisting, Rigging, and Moving
- Motor Controls
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
- Conduit Bending
- PLC Programming
These courses are comprised of both in-class study and hands on experience, with the hands-on portion often being done with virtual reality. By using virtual reality, there is zero wasted material, participants can experience a variety of scenarios, and nobody is exposed to an unfamiliar hazard when learning something for the first time. IBEW Local 1687 is a NETCO training partner and can host all their courses.
IBEW Local 1687, in partnership with the UA, IHSA, and ESA, are also able to provide the following training opportunities to IBEW Local 1687 members:
- Welding (All position: flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead)
- Supervision (Levels 1, 2, 3)
- ESA Code Updates
- Arc Flash (Z462)
- Project Management/Estimating/Planning Courses
By partnering with UA Local 800, IBEW Local 1687 members gain access to local training in both Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie that allows them to become certified welders. This, along with IHSA and ESA courses, allows IBEW Local 1687 members to be some of the best trained in the industry.
“If you are a licensed electrician, powerline technician, NCS technician, or a contractor that is interested in joining the IBEW, or someone interested in an apprenticeship, please contact the union’s Market Development Representative; Yan Gervais at 249-779-9877 or [email protected] .
For more information, email [email protected]