APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING
The CVECA Apprenticeship Training Program began in 1974, when the members of the Association had become dissatisfied with the Training Programs that were available at time for their apprentices. One of the Contractor Members by the name of Mr. Rudy Jones stepped forward and took it upon himself to create a Training Program which would meet with the approval of the Association’s Contractor Members. The goal was to provide a four year Training Program which each attending apprentice would be provided with the classroom education necessary to pass the Virginia State Journeyman’s test and produce qualified electricians for the workplace.
Mr. Jones; along with fellow members, spent countless hours in producing a four year curriculum and seeing to it that CVECA’s Training Program would be approved and accepted by the Virginia State Board of Contractors. Over the summer months between each school year, this curriculum is updated by the Apprenticeship Training Director and the Apprenticeship Training Instructors, to keep up with the ever changing National Electrical Code.
Our Program’s Training Director is Mr. Willie Cline; who can be reached at e-mail address cvecatraining@yahoo.com to provide any answers to your questions with regard the Association’s Apprenticeship Training Program. Mr. Cline has more than 24 years of electrical technical training, education and instruction with the County of Henrico’s School System. More than 11 of these years have been devoted to the Highland Springs High School’s Advanced Technical Education Center. Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year; Mr. Cline transferred from the Highland Springs High School Advanced Technical Education Center to the Academy at Virginia Randolph’s Advanced Technical Education Center. In the 2018-2019 school year; Mr Cline transferred back to Highland Springs High School’s Advanced Education Technical Center and is presently still teaching there. Mr Cline is a master electrician, an electrical contractor and is also a recipient of the County of Henrico’s Teacher of the Year Award in the year of 2010 and 2013. Our Program’s Apprenticeship Committee Chairman; Russell Brooks, can also be contacted to answer any questions and provide any information you may have regarding the Program. He can be reached at 804.357.1159 or by email at russell1159@gmail.com.
Our Program’s instructors are made up of electrical instructors from surrounding Technical Training programs, master electricians, electrical inspectors, electrical engineers and electrical contractors.
FUTURE APPRENTICES
Our Apprenticeship Training Program works in partnership with nationally recognized Mike Holt Enterprises; an industry leader providing powerful training solutions for electrical contractors, individuals and Training Programs across the United States. Our participation with Mike Holt allows an apprentice attending a Program utilizing Mike Holt Enterprises’ instructional materials outside of our area in Virginia, as well as out of state; who moves into our area wishing to continue his/her education, can transfer directly into our Training Program without having to take a placement test to determine if the instruction he/she has taken correlates with our curriculum. An apprentice who has had training in another Program that does not utilize Mike Holt Enterprises’ instructional materials can also transfer into our Program. The apprentice is required to take a placement test prior to the first night of classes, to verify if what was learned in the apprentice’s prior Training Program meets with our curriculum. Our Program also utilizes Mike Holt’s online training, referred to by Mike Holt as “The Capaciator”. This allows us to provide training to all of our apprentices enrolled in the Program; instruction posted by our instructors, to complete a particular night’s instruction online. This allows every apprentice to stay up to date should he/she have to miss a night due to sickness or other personal issues. This also allows the Program to be able to complete our school year on time due to inclement weather; as opposed to having to push the entire Program back a night or week should inclement weather keep the school from being open.
An apprentice looking to become a student in the Program must be an employee of one of our contractor members; who is referred to as the apprentice’s Sponsor. The membership list of electrical contractors can be found on the Home Page under “About Us”. The cost for enrollment is a $266.00 registration fee, the first and second semester fee costs are each $217.00 plus the cost for books required for each year. The electrical contractor (Sponsor) is required to provide the school year’s registration fee, first semester fee and book costs to the CVECA by the 30th of September and the second semester fee to the CVECA by the 31st of January.
CURRICULUM
Night classes are held on Monday and Wednesdays at The Oaks, 15 South Oak Avenue, Highland Springs VA 23075 in the County of Henrico; and are conducted in conjunction with the Henrico County Public School System. Classes begin in late August with completion prior to spring break in early April. Every apprentice is required to have 168 hours of classroom training, and are not allowed to miss more than 9 of these hours over the course of the school year. If any apprentice should miss more than the allowed 9 hours, the apprentice is removed from the Program and unable to graduate from the year’s class he/she was attending.
The 1st year curriculum covers Articles 90 to 250 of the National Electrical Code, ranges thru all aspects of residential wiring, calculations and formulas, electrical theory is covered extensively. Each night time is devoted to a series of math problems related to what is being taught.
The 2nd year curriculum revisits Articles 90 thru 250 and covers the remaining Articles of the National Electrical Code, calculations, formulas. Each night time is devoted to a series of math problems related to what is being taught.
The 3rd year curriculum provides an introduction to motor controls, along with solar photovoltaic, calculations and formulas, study of the National Electrical Code which applies to motor controls and solar photovoltaic. Each night time is devoted to a series of math problems related to what is being taught.
The 4th year is devoted completely to review of the Program’s entire 1st, 2nd and 3rd year curriculum of the National Electrical Code; allowing the apprentice to be more than ready to pass the Virginia State Journeyman’s test. Math formulas that the apprentice would need in all of these areas is refreshed. The curriculum also includes providing the apprentice with NFPA 70 Electrical and Safety in the Workplace Certification, making up the remaining of the course.
The Association works very closely with the Department of Labor & Industry (DOLI); making sure each electrical contractor (Sponsor) has contacted and filled out all of the required apprentice’s Action Forms with the Department. The Association also submits all revisions of every year’s curriculum and new instructor resumes to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); to continually maintain our Education Provider status and number 2730000403, allowing each apprentice the approval required to take their Journeyman’s test.
Upon completion of our 4 year Training Program, completion through the 2nd or 3rd year classes, or completion of just the 4th year refresher course; we can provide the necessary transcript showing that the apprentice has completed our Training Program up to that point. The transcript form and directions how to obtain it are on the right hand side of this page.
At the end of each year, the 4th year graduating class is treated to a dinner; in which family members and guests are welcomed to attend; along with the Training Director, instructors, Membership and other guests of the Association. Certificates are handed out to each recognized graduating apprentice along with gifts and awards for the apprentice with the highest grade average, best attendance over the entire four year program and most improved student.
VETERAN FINANCIAL AID AND EMPLOYMENT FOR APPRENTICES
The CVECA takes great pride in our Veterans; as we are all greatly indebted for the sacrifices they make and have made, allowing us to enjoy the freedom this great county provides.
The CVECA coordinates with the US Department of Labor, Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS); to provide our Contractor/Members with the most up to date information for assistance to financial aid for Veterans enrolled in our Electrical Apprenticeship Training Program, as well as information of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
The CVECA is unable to to directly provide financial aid to any Veteran; as the CVECA is not the Veteran’s employer. We have provided a number of websites and contacts as follows for assistance to our Contractor/Members for this aid. All of the steps and access to the necessary paperwork for submission to acquire the aid can be located on these websites.
APT/OJT Guide: https://www.benefits.va.gov/ BENEFITS/factsheets/education/OJT.pdf
State Approving Agency: https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/education-employment/state-approving-agency
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA) protects the job rights of individuals who voluntarily or involuntarily leave employment positions to undertake military service or certain types of service. This act also prohibits employers from discriminating against past and present members of the uniformed services and applicants to the uniformed services. For information regarding USERRA you can contact VETS at 1.866.4.USA.DOL or visit the website at http://www.dol.gov/vets. You can also view an interactive on line USERRA advisor at http://www.dol:gov/elaws/userra.htm
There are two contacts with the State Approving Agency for Veterans Education and Training – Veterans Education, Transition and Employment – Virginia Department of Veterans Services who can offer assistance as well.
Michelle Hill, MBA, MSA
Veterans Education Manager
NASAA President
James Monroe Building
101 N. 14th Street 17th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804.225.2298
Cell: 804.516.2975
Fax: 804.786.0809
michelle.hill@dvs.virginia.gov
http://www.dvs.virginia.gov
http://www.nasaa-vetseducation.com
saa@dvs.virginia.gov
IN CLOSING
The present members of the Central Virginia Electrical Contractors Association will always strive to continue and maintain what is considered to be the best electrical Apprenticeship Training Program in the area. This is what Mr. Rudy Jones and the forefathers of this Association intended; the end result of producing card carrying qualified Journeyman electricians for the workplace.