Industry Partners

The National Electrical Contractor’s Association

The National Electrical Contractors Association is the voice of the $100 billion industry responsible for bringing lighting, power, and communications to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA's national office and 120 local chapters advance the electrical contracting industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. NECA is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, the organization that developed the LEED ratings system. NECA represents electrical contractors from firms of all sizes performing a range of services. NECA contractors strive to be true construction partners with building owners, developers, and general contractors. They lead the industry in the practical application of new technologies. Whether high-voltage power transmission or low-voltage lighting, electrical contractors ensure these systems work in a safe, effective, and environmentally-sound manner.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represents approximately 750,000 members who work in a wide variety of fields, including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government. The IBEW has members in both the United States and Canada and stands out among the American unions in the AFL-CIO because it is among the largest and has members in so many skilled occupations. The IBEW was formed in 1890.

The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee

The mission of the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) is to develop and standardize training to educate the members of the IBEW and NECA; ensuring and providing the Electrical Construction Industry with the most highly trained and highly skilled workforce possible. The NJATC’s philosophy lies in a belief that training, and training alone, will determine the degree of employability for members of the IBEW and NECA. It's a model education partnership—founded in 1941—which produces the best-trained, most up-to-date electrical apprentices and journeymen in the country. All of the $100 million annually spent is privately funded.

NJATC course work closely parallels a traditional college curriculum. Accordingly, NJATC has worked with a variety of educational institutions in recent years to allow apprentices to gain college credit for completed NJATC course work, including the recognition and transfer of these credits toward two- and four-year degrees.