Wednesday, April 23, 2025

For WECA and our longtime Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship instructor Zach Wallace, it’s not only a heartfelt goodbye and thank you—but also a “see you soon”!

Zach Wallace clocked out from teaching WECA Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship full-time on March 31st, after 19 total years with WECA (with two years first spent teaching for the Electrician Trainee Program and then seventeen years spent teaching for the Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program). However, Zach will continue to teach part-time for WECA's GetWired program, so luckily for all of us and our students, we haven't seen or heard the last of him!

During his tenure with WECA, Zach has been a devoted and popular instructor and an instrumental part of the WECA family. The mark he has left on WECA is indelible—but it seems that WECA left a positive lasting mark on him, too.

“While working at WECA, I learned how to overcome my fear of public speaking,” Zach recalled. “Not only that, but WECA taught me how to have a career and not just a job. I can honestly say I’ve lived a dream.”

Zach’s favorite aspects of his career were the countless opportunities to train and educate the future electrical workforce and being part of the WECA team.

“The service that we provide is awesome. But for me, helping students get something that is important to them and seeing them start out untrained and five years later noticing the growth that has taken place in them—and for me to have been a small piece of that—is really satisfying.”

“The staff,” Zach continued, “is like family. People here are so supportive and genuinely care to help in any way they can. I would not have had the success that I’ve had if it wasn’t for all of you.”

With tenure and retirement comes wisdom—which Zach has in spades.

“I would like to say to my colleagues, laugh, have fun, and learn as you go. Even from the students. Everyone has something to offer in this educational system,” Zach said.

“My parting advice for apprentices is, you are our future electricians. Never forget when you started and what that felt like. You will become the trainers and leaders in this industry. Treat your apprentices the way you would want to be treated,” Zach advised.

For Zach, “retirement” is a hard word to grasp. “Let’s call it the next chapter,” Zach says instead. “I want to say I am turning the page. I am planning on doing a little electrical work for myself. Thinking about getting a real estate license. Just to name a few. But I don’t really know yet. I want to restore an old car or maybe just sit on the porch and drink lemonade all day…not! Maybe some hunting and fishing. (Zach is moving to Alabama.) The list goes on and on…”

Zach, your next chapter sounds incredible, and we are confident that you will nail it! We thank you for all of your hard work, dedication, and contributions to the WECA family over the years, and are glad that current and future classes of GetWired program students will get to enjoy having you as their instructor for a bit longer. 

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We celebrated Zach and his contributions to WECA at a semi-retirement gathering at WECA's Sacramento Training Facility on March 31st!

During the gathering, onsite and remote colleagues alike feted Zach with a retrospective slideshow and delicious cake!