Jonathan Espinoza, the Valedictorian of the WECA Southern California Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Class of 2024, already had some experience under his toolbelt when he started his WECA Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship journey in 2019.
Jonathan began working for WECA Member Contractor Blum & Sons Electric, Inc. in 2018. After a year with the company, Blum & Sons offered Jonathan the opportunity to apprentice with them, an opportunity Jonathan says, “opened up many doors for me.”
“My WECA education and on-the-job training with Blum & Sons was instrumental in helping me pass my state exam and become the journeyman I am today,” says Jonathan. “I believe there were many factors that contributed to my success—my coworkers’ help, my instructors’ guidance, and my determination and my desire to succeed. But, most importantly, the support system I had from my family.”
Looking back on his apprenticeship journey, Jonathan advises apprentices to push themselves during the rigorous times, because the hard work will be worth it in the long run.
Moving forward, Jonathan plans to continue his education and branch out into various fields of electrical work.
“I would like to give a great thank you to everyone at Blum & Sons for providing this opportunity that I never thought I would get, and for always supporting me and helping me along the way. Most importantly, I would like to thank my wife and children for always being my biggest support system and motivation,” says Jonathan.
Congratulations on your graduation and your Valedictorian achievement, Jonathan! We have no doubt that your determination and ambition will serve you well in all aspects of your electrical career!
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WECA Southern California Class of 2024 Residential Valedictorian Josh Nordholm, an employee of WECA Member Contractor Surfside Electric, credits his success to WECA’s educational programs, culture, staff, and instructors.
“WECA provided me with a fully equipped academic environment, a culture of excellence, and the staff and teachers who maintain high standards of learning, which were all conducive to preparing me for a career in the electrical trade,” says Josh. “In class, it was all about industry standards—this is how things should be done, and here’s what you need to know to get it done properly and safely.”
However, Josh says that his success was not linear and advises that current and future apprentices embrace that reality when faced with obstacles or doubt.
“I always strove for perfection in class and in the field. Did I always achieve it? Heck no! And that’s okay, but I can say that I gave it my all and I got as close to perfect as I was going to get. So, stick with it. There are some pretty intimidating aspects of the curriculum and the trade, but trust the process. WECA knows what they’re doing. And don’t be late on your dang time cards,” entreats Josh.
Reflecting more on his time in WECA’s Residential Electrical Apprenticeship Program, Josh shared lots of appreciation for his instructors and his boss at Surfside Electric, Ryan.
“Jaron, Neil, and Don all brought a unique flavor to the classroom, but all were equally committed to seeing us succeed. I’m pretty sure Jaron knows everything, and it was a pleasure to pick his brain,” reminisces Josh. “Neil was always talking to us about the bigger picture and helping us understand the nature of the job and situations we would likely face. Don is a real nice guy with insane grip strength, but there were no shortcuts in his class. If you asked him a question, he would tell you how to find the answer. You could ask him if it’s okay to wear blue on Tuesdays and he would ask ‘What’s the code say?’ I also appreciate my boss Ryan for sponsoring me through the apprenticeship and just being an understanding and supportive guy.”
Now that Josh has his Residential Electrical Apprenticeship Program certificate under his toolbelt, he reports that the sky is the limit for his future.
“I’ll keep learning and working for Surfside Electric,” says Josh. “I may go out on my own eventually, or I could go work for a facility and teach! The doors are now open.”
Congratulations, Josh! Thank you for applying humor and humility to your WECA education, and for sharing those nuggets of wisdom with us. We look forward to following your endeavors—including maybe seeing you as an instructor in the halls of a WECA training facility in the future!
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WECA Southern California Class of 2024 Low Voltage Salutatorian Erik Martinez Jimenez’s WECA education was multifaceted.
“The WECA program was great for me, because I got to learn multiple systems, which helped me out once I was in the field,” reports Erik, an employee of WECA Member Contractor AMS.net. “WECA taught me multiple skills which I could use in the field, too.”
Erik also appreciates that WECA’s in-classroom education also focused on dissecting and disseminating apprentices’ on-job experiences.
“We did a lot of stuff in the field that we later discussed in class, like why we did things a specific way or why we ran cables a certain way. Class helped me understand why we terminated things on the field and the purpose of it,” says Erik.
Erik’s WECA apprenticeship education, coupled with guidance from apprenticeship instructors, helped him pass the California Voice Data Video Technician certification exam and excel on and off the jobsite.
“The material we went over in class helped me pass the VDV exam,” recalls Erik. “Instructors also guided me over the years and were always there for us if we needed help.”
He also says that “Having the support of my family, friends, instructors, and coworkers contributed to my success at WECA. My work ethic and hunger to learn were also big factors.”
For those wanting to replicate Erik’s drive and success, his advice is simple:
“Make yourself valuable by learning new things or getting certifications to show your hunger to succeed,” implores Erik. “Show your company that you want to be there by showing a great work ethic and by learning new things on your own. Always be on top of things when working with your coworkers, such as doing things without having them tell you. These three years go by fast, so enjoy your time as an apprentice and open your exam books throughout the years to be prepared [to pass the certification exam] by your third year.”
After graduating this fall, Erik has a laundry list of things he would like to accomplish.
“My plans are to become a lead for AMS.net, get a C7 contractors license in the future to start doing my own work, and get more certifications, such as BICSI, fire optic, and fire alarm certifications,” concludes Erik.
We love to see it—a graduate with the drive and determination to continually improve and craft their career! Congratulations on your graduation, Erik—we’ll be cheering you on as you conquer the industry!
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There's more than one way to become—and succeed as—an electrician through a WECA training program. Just ask Jacob Minkoff, the Salutatorian of the WECA Southern California Electrician Trainee Program Class of 2024.
Jacob’s on-the-job training with his contractor, coupled with the education he received through WECA’s Electrician Trainee Certification Program, prepared him to earn his general electrician journeyman certification in November 2023.
“My WECA education was very informative and wide-ranging in electrical knowledge. It prepared me for my career by providing me with the necessary knowledge, so I could understand and perform the required tasks in my career. Meanwhile, my on-the-job training with my employers prepared me for my career by allowing me to build skills and gain experience,” says Jacob.
As a student in the WECA Electrician Trainee Program, Jacob's recipe for success was similar to that of his apprenticeship counterparts. He attributes his success to “keeping up with the assigned reading and homework, signing on early to the lectures, participating in answering questions asked by the instructor, and continually practicing using the NEC code book as often as possible.”
“I’d also like to thank all of my instructors for sharing their electrical and code knowledge and experience, and for allowing the trade to continue to grow and expand this way,” says Jacob.
To succeed like he has, Jacob implores apprentices and GetWired students alike to take the development of knowledge in their trades seriously, to be vigilant in their applications of that knowledge when working, and to never stop learning.
Jacob takes the “never stop learning” mantra seriously—aside from continuing to grow in his electrical career, Jacob plans to someday pursue a degree in electrical engineering.
Congratulations, Jacob! Thank you for being a great example of success in the WECA Electrician Trainee Program, and we wish you the best in acquiring a degree in electrical engineering in the future!
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Confidence. That is an invaluable thing that WECA and its Electrician Trainee Certificate Program have provided to Anthoney Castro, the 2024 Northern California Electrician Trainee Valedictorian.
“I feel more confident in the field with the things I learned while attending WECA,” says Anthoney. “The education I received was fantastic and has given me a deeper understanding of electricity, how to safely work with it, and how to interpret the NEC. That has greatly increased opportunities for me.”
Anthoney chose the in-person lab option for his classes in the program. “The instructors were very knowledgeable and helpful. The classes were detailed and well-organized. Even with the experience I have acquired in the field, I felt like I was learning and growing in electrical knowledge with every class. The in-class lessons were fun and educational; it was a great experience,” recalls Anthoney.
Initially, Anthoney enrolled in WECA’s Electrician Trainee Program with one goal: to pass the California State Journeyman Exam, which he accomplished. But with an Electrician Trainee Program Certificate in hand, Anthoney will leave WECA with a vast wealth of electrical knowledge, which will help him one day achieve his dream of owning his own electrical company.
Anthoney prospered during his Electrician Trainee Program journey due to support from his family, employer, and mentors.
“My wife, Linsey, took care of our kids and everything at home so I could focus in class and study. My dad pushed me to become an electrician. My company gave me the opportunity to attend WECA. And my mentors helped expand my electrical knowledge,” says Anthoney.
However, success starts with yourself, according to Anthoney.
“Don’t give up, believe in yourself, and make the decision to be great at whatever you do,” advises Anthoney. “There will be things that will try to pull you in a different direction, challenges and people that will try to tell you that you can’t do it or maybe even asking yourself if it is even worth it. It is. Stay focused; in the end, it is definitely worth it.”
Thank you for choosing WECA’s Electrician Trainee Certificate Program for your electrical education and certification preparation, Anthoney! We’re thrilled to celebrate your achievement of becoming Valedictorian of your class and we hope your example of hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm will inspire others.
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2024 WECA Northern California Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Valedictorian Christian Farley says of WECA’s program that “You can learn many things on a job site, but with WECA classrooms and instructors, you can basically touch any electrical subject and be properly informed.”
Christian, who studied at WECA’s Fresno Apprenticeship Training Center, credits WECA and the Commercial Electrical Apprenticeship Program curriculum with giving him the skills and the confidence to be assured in his career.
“The instructors helped walk students through various electrical scopes and are informative in the classroom as well as in the labs to ensure every student understands what to do and how to do it,” Christian says. “Learning how to navigate the NEC, read plans, proper wiring methods, and even being able to call the instructors has been an invaluable experience. Without WECA, I would not have had the valuable exposure and been formed into a skilled and trained state-certified journeyman. That experience is so valuable for anyone seeking to be a competent and skilled electrician.”
Christian’s learned skills and acquired confidence translated well into his performance on the job site with various WECA Member Contractors, most recently C3 Electric, and previously with members Imperial Electric Service and Westech Systems, LLC.
“I had the opportunity to work for big shops and small shops. The interesting thing is that I was able to do underground, service calls, commercial, residential, and industrial. WECA works with many contractors who each have their own niche and each employer I have worked for has been a learning experience in each scope. The on-the-job training was a great experience and taught me many additional skills and gave me self-worth,” recalls Christian.
However, Christian acknowledges that a lot of his success can be attributed to his self-determination, as well as his robust support system in the classroom and at home.
“It has been very important to me to give the very best of myself to whatever it is that I do. We are the ones in the driving seat of our learning experience,” says Christian. “We get out of our experience what we put in. Showing up every day and putting in the work and trying to master my craft one step at a time has yielded benefits. You reap what you sow, so always give your best.”
Support-wise, Christian thanks “My beautiful wife, Cathryn, for being there for me every single day. My son, Seth, my legacy and my responsibility to train up in the right ways. WECA for being an institution with high standards and for the quality of the learning experience. And a huge thank-you to (WECA apprenticeship instructors) George Leach for his many decades of electrical experience and his ability to share that valuable knowledge with the class, and Jaron Stroud for diving in deep on electrical concepts and encouraging students to trust the process of learning and to implement what we learned.”
In that same vein, Christian advises current and future WECA apprentices to trust the process.
“WECA has a proven model that yields tremendous benefit in learning, on-the-job training, pay, and more. Trust the process and take your education seriously. You get out of the program what you put in, so with the many resources that WECA provides, utilize them to become the best you can be. In the end, you will be skilled and certified, and that experience alone is very rewarding,” says Christian.
Rewarding, indeed: in the future, Christian aspires to start his own electrical contracting business in California’s Central Valley region and to take the skills that he has learned at WECA to provide high-quality electrical work in the region. Additionally, Christian also plans to come full-circle and train apprentices through WECA so that they are properly trained for the electrical field.
Congratulations on your graduation and accomplishments, Christian, and for planning to train your future apprentices through WECA – an enduring testament to the quality and power of WECA’s electrical education! We look forward to sharing in your success in California’s Central Valley in the future.
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For 2024 WECA Northern California Low Voltage Valedictorian Jorge Vazquez, an employee of WECA Member Contractor AMS.net, the Low Voltage Apprenticeship Program allowed him to continue where he left off after high school, but with the benefit of simultaneously obtaining an education and training for an eventual career as a Voice Data Video Technician.
“I was not able to continue my education after high school, and I jumped right into the work field. (Until) WECA gave me the opportunity to further my education and pave a way for a career,” says Jorge.
Jorge attributes his success at WECA and with his employer AMS.net to innate personality traits and skills and strategies learned in the classroom and on-the-job, and to the education he received from instructors Randy Rivera and John Arias.
“My on-the-job training and WECA education prepared me for my career by equipping me with practical skills, quick problem-solving abilities, enhanced safety awareness, confidence, and preparation for unseen challenges,” says Jorge. “I am also meticulous, organized, safety-oriented, and competitive … these skills that I acquired in my previous twenty-two-year career in the specialty rental business paved the way for me to become Valedictorian of my class. I would also like to thank my instructors Randy Rivera and John Arias for preparing and encouraging me to succeed, and my employers at AMS.net for the opportunity to acquire new skills at WECA.”
No matter what apprentices bring to the table, Jorge urges apprentices to invest in themselves and be the best they can be.
After graduation, Jorge plans to continue working as a Journeyman with AMS.net, with the eventual goal of becoming a lead.
Congratulations on your graduation, Jorge! WECA is proud to have played a part in furthering your education and providing training for your new career, and wishes you the best in your future endeavors!