August | Mark Townsend | 5th Year
“Being a union electrician, you build your skills for life and bring value to yourself. The union is very strong: We have a great contract with fair wages and benefits. You’re really taken care of. Being in the IBEW, you get support and mentors who teach you everything they know. They are patient and hold nothing back. When I turn out, I’m excited to teach and pass that knowledge on to the next generation of apprentices.”
September | Alex Martinez | 5th Year
“I did three years in the S&C apprenticeship and now five years in the inside program. It’s been eight long years, but it’s gone by really fast. Now it’s about to get real. What I love about the trades is that you can keep learning even as a journeyman. Turning out is just the beginning – you can become a foreman, a superintendent, a project manager, or go back to school to be an electrical engineer. The sky is the limit.”
October | Sonia Cervantes Ordaz | 5th Year
“I like that every day is different. Every job has its nuances that you have to figure out. You have to keep an open mind to get the job done. I love being in a union–everyone is very supportive, and we have each other’s backs. As a union, there’s a great deal of pride in quality of the work. When I turn out, I want to mentor people the way people have mentored me. I love sharing my knowledge and helping people grow.”
November | Ben Morrison | 3rd Year
“I spent nine years in the Air Force and six years in the sheriff’s office. This is by far the best job I’ve ever had–I love getting up and going to work. The apprenticeship is a great environment for learning. There are rigid standards, and as a union, we’re in the fight together to maintain our value in construction and maintain a quality of work. I love being here, and at the end of the day, I’m satisfied and look forward to the next day.”
December | Evan Smith | 5th Year
“I made a decision a long time ago that if I was stuck behind a desk, I’d go crazy. I love working with my hands, and it dawned on me that in this industry, you can keep learning for your whole career. I used to be nonunion: The work was brutal, and the pay was terrible. It was just me fighting for a few bucks. I love being union because we’re taken care of. There are many benefits, and I was able to buy a house in Silicon Valley.”
