Strengthening Standards: Apprenticeships and Global Growth in Electrical Testing

Strengthening Industry Standards: The Benefits of Apprenticeships and Global Growth for Electrical Testing Technicians We’ve done a big push to make these engineering and architectural firms aware of what NETA brings to the table as far as testing specifications and commissioning. This special NETA section of the magazine is a compilation of interviews conducted at the 2023 PowerTest Conference where we interviewed board members and thought leaders with great insights into NETA as it embarks on several strategic initiative, including adding the “I” for International. When I attended my first NETA conference over a decade ago, I have been impressed by the way members, who are often competitors, come together in a more collaborative way to make our industry better, safer, or reliable and resilient. Alan Ross: David, NETA is working with the Department of Labor to create an apprenticeship program, which I love because I think that is desperately what we need as an industry. Talk a little bit about that and about putting the “I” in NETA. Dave Huffman: The apprenticeship program initially felt a little bit threatening because we’re not electricians. That’s one thing we’re very adamant about. We don’t do electrician work. We’re not electricians. And to force a testing company to become licensed electricians would really put a burden on a lot of the testing companies on the West Coast. This new apprenticeship program is really going to benefit us to where it makes that electrical test technician more authentic in the eyes of governing agencies such as the Department of Labor.Well, the international growth is happening because a lot of construction is designed and specified by American engineering firms. As such, we’ve done a big push to make these engineering and architectural firms aware of what NETA brings to the table as far as testing specifications and commissioning. I think with the international, one of the applicant companies already has a few technicians that have passed the exam for level two and three. So I think we’re on definitely a growth pattern, and I think that it’s going to be good for construction around the planet. AR Excellent. How long do you continue planning on doing this? DH Until they kick me out. A lot of the people in NETA are well past what some people might consider your retirement age, but we love what we do, are passionate about it and have made lifelong friends within NETA. AR Somebody asked me years ago and they said, what is it about NETA that you think is so attractive for the industry? It’s the collaborative, collegiate way that competitors work to work together to advance the cause. I mean, I think that’s something that I would say is one of the great values of NETA. And that still happens today, right?  
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