Partnership creates pathway to college credits for IBEW Local 43 apprentices

UTICA, N.Y. — Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), Alfred State College, Syracuse University (SU), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 43, and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) have partnered to form an educational pathway for IBEW Local 43 members.

The program partners held a joint announcement about the initiative on April 8 at Engler Electric in Utica.

Historically, upon completion of the NECA/IBEW Local 43’s five-year earn-and-learn training program, apprentices became journeyworkers but did not have any portable college credits. Through this new partnership, in addition to earning their journeyworker card, apprentices also receive an MVCC associate degree in occupational science at no cost. These SUNY-recognized credits allow for streamlined future educational experiences.

“Our coalition of diverse partners has constructed a first-of-its-kind, non-redundant, coherent pathway for highly skilled electrical workers to advance along the project management career ladder that fundamentally relies on a noncredit-to-credit pathway breaking the traditional mold of higher education and acting as an exemplar model, ripe to replicate,” MVCC President Randall J. VanWagoner said in a news release.

While apprentices are completing their training program, they also have the opportunity to earn SU’s online project management certificate at a discounted rate.

Upon completion of the program, students will have earned up to 79 credits which can seamlessly transfer into Alfred State College’s bachelor’s degree in business administration. By leveraging preexisting agreements Alfred State has with MBA programs around the state, including one with SU, the pathway for IBEW apprentices extends through an online professional degree.

Apprentices who follow this pathway will be prepared for careers in electric work and project management, the program partners say.