A Union prides itself on how well its members can stick together through thick and thin. At myriad meetings throughout the country, hats are passed for tragedy, phones are called for commiseration, and local committees exist as a way for people to support members who have other things in common.
A word that may not be used often enough in reference to tradesmen is “grace.” There is an element to what we do as skilled labor that can only be described as grace, not just in the quality of the work we produce but about how we handle hardship and adversity on the jobsite.
Humility is an incredible asset in an apprentice. A person who is freshly introduced to our trade may find themselves swimming in all the new information. But with tenacity and hard work, even the greenest of apprentices can rise to become forces to be reckoned with.
There’s a word that can be used to truly describe what constitutes an apprentice worthy of apprentice of the month: humility. When someone thinks about this month’s apprentice, Dmitriy Isayev, that is one of the first words that comes to mind.
Each year, locals from across the western U.S. send participants to compete in the Western States Electrical Contest, a one-day grueling test of skill and knowledge.
When a first year apprentice comes in, you hope they understand the gravity of their apprenticeship. The hallowed seats they represent, the impact it has on a young life, all these things amount to a career filled with opportunity and pride in a person’s work.
A good apprentice must be keen to learn. They must be able to follow instructions and be able to take constructive criticism. They must keep an open mind and learn to grow and be molded by their journeymen. More than anything, they have to prove they have the tenacity of spirit and humility needed to make it through an IBEW/NECA apprenticeship.
When we think of a good apprentice, we usually imagine someone who is quick to grab a broom in slow times, someone who is always writing down directions, or someone who makes sure they ask questions about anything they don’t understand.