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Release Date: Friday, February 05, 2010
Media Contact: Evelyn Weiss Francisco (201) 796-7788
8 Passaic County Residents Graduate Rigorous Industry Training Program
63 Area Residents Complete Electrical or Telecommunications Studies at IBEW Local 164 Training Academy
PARAMUS, N.J., Feb. 5, 2010 - The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 164, based in Paramus, N.J., recently graduated 63 local men and women, including 8 Passaic County residents, from its nationally recognized Electrical or Telecommunications Apprenticeship Training Programs. Administered jointly by Local 164 and the Bergen-Essex-Hudson Division of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), the fully certified programs are the largest of their kind and serve as a model for similar training courses nationwide.
"These high-caliber graduates are vital to the long-term success of the electrical and telecommunications industries because they have successfully mastered and demonstrated proficiency in the next generation of technology as well as installation, repair and maintenance techniques," said Richard Dressel, business manager for Local 164. "Vast opportunities await these craftsmen and women who are already applying their in-depth knowledge of today's cutting-edge technology on jobsites throughout the state."
Passaic County electrical graduates include: Michael Alberta of Hawthorne, Daniel Brooks of Ringwood, Thomas Dietze of Clifton, Rafal Gosk of Passaic, David Gravatt of Clifton, Anthony Kwiecinski of Wayne, Kevin Villegas of Clifton, and Khaled Zindaki of Wayne.
To graduate from the rigorous five-year electrical apprentice program, students must complete a total of 184 hours of classroom training each year and a total of 8,720 hours of on-the-job training, under the supervision of a qualified journeyperson associated with one of Local 164's signatory contractors. The program addresses interpreting blueprints; safely working with high voltages; and installing, repairing and servicing complex electrical equipment and controls for residential, commercial and industrial projects. The residential training program is a six-year program.
Telecommunications apprentices also are required to complete 576 total hours of classroom training and a total of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. The four-year program prepares apprentices with the knowledge and training necessary to design, install, test and service the most sophisticated communication systems applications.
"IBEW Local 164 has built its reputation as a construction leader by providing the highest level of training to apprentices and journeymen and women alike," explained John DeBouter, Local 164 training director and president. "The electrical and telecommunications programs also are recognized by the American Council on Education for eligible college credits. We encourage our graduates to continue their studies for personal as well as industry advancement."
The training programs, offered at Local 164's state-of-the-art Training Academy in Paramus, are extremely demanding. To be eligible, applicants must be at least 17 years old; possess a high school diploma; a passing grade in algebra and a valid driver's license. Potential enrollees must present a diploma/GED certificate, birth certificate and high school transcript at the time of application.
For more information about IBEW Local 164's Apprenticeship Training Programs, contact the Training Academy at (201) 265-7273 or visit www.ibew164.org. ###