ABOUT US

History

In the fall of 1965 IBEW Local Union 354 and the Intermountain Chapter of NECA created a trust document and inserted language into the collective bargaining agreement to form the first Utah Electrical JATC. The committee registered the apprenticeship standards with the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship. In January 1966 contractors started making contributions to the JATC. The original name of the JATC was Salt Lake Joint Apprentice and Journeyman Training Committee. In September 1983 IBEW Local Unions 354 and 217 were merged giving Local Union 354 the entire state of Utah as its jurisdiction. When the two JATC’s were merged the name of the JATC became Utah Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. In 1998 the Utah Electrical JATC registered standards with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training for our Telecommunications Installer Technician apprenticeship program. Currently at the JATC we have the privilege in offering two top of the line apprenticeship programs, Inside Wireman and Telecommunications Technician.

In 1969 when the first training director was hired, the JATC was located in an office at 2330 South Main, Salt Lake City. In 1995 the JATC was growing at a rate that required more office space. A decision was made to move the JATC to our present location in the new building that the Local Union had purchased at 2100 South 3400 West, Salt Lake City.

In June 1969 the committee decided to hire a full time training director. Interviews were held and Milton Ouzts was hired as the first director. Milt resigned his position in December 1970. Clark Cushing was hired as the director and started in January 1971. He continued as the director until he retired in March 1982. Richard Bogus was hired as director and started in March 1982. He continued as the director until he retired in December 1992. David Kingery was hired in December 1992 and continued as the director until he retired in December 2008. In 1997 the JATC had grown to a point where an assistant director was needed. Carl Brailsford was hired and served as the assistant director from March 1997 to December 2008. Carl Brailsford was hired in December 2008 as training director for the program and retired May 20th, 2022. Michael Lanoue was hired as the assistant training director in November 2014 and was advanced as the Training Director September 2021.

The JATC has experienced many changes over the years going from as few as a dozen apprentices to over four hundred at our peak. Our schooling has evolved over the years from going to school two nights a week at the old Utah Vocational Institute in downtown Salt Lake (which has since been torn down) to going to school on Saturdays and then back to nights at the Salt Lake Community College, the Ogden Weber ATC and the Utah Valley State College. In 1999 the Utah Electrical JATC entered into negotiations with the Ogden Weber ATC to start a day school for our apprentices. Since then our Inside Wireman apprentices and Telecommunication apprentices have been attending day school here at the JATC classrooms in the Local Union building.

In July 2018, the Utah Electrical JATC rebranded by changing their name to Utah Electrical Training Alliance. The trust is still held under the Utah Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee. The Committee commissioned the construction of a new training facility located in the center of the Salt Lake Valley (approximately 7400 South Redwood Road) for the continued advancement of the programs. This new training facility will be able to provide more hands on training and room for continued growth in the electrical industry. The Utah Electrical Training Alliance staff moved into the new building, 7466 South Redwood Road West Jordan Utah 84084, on March 25th of 2019. The first class was held April 1st, 2019. The building consists of 8 lab rooms, 5 class rooms and office space.

The current Utah Electrical Training staff is made up of a training director, assistant training director, one full time executive assistant, a part time administrative assistant and four full time day school instructors.

Michael Lanoue was hired as the Training Director since September 2021. Gary Beckstrand has been a full time instructor since 1999. Adam Ace Shaheen has been a full time instructor since June 2014. John Kristensen has been a full time instructor since May 2016. Randall Nicholas Bryant has been a full time instructor July 2019. Josh Denys has been a full time instructor as of February 2020. Casey Willesen has been a full time instructor . Theresa Johnson has been a full time instructor . There are currently 2 full time office administrators.

The current makeup of the committee is:

Steve Woodman (Business Agent of Local IBEW 354), Cody Lindsay (President of Local IBEW 354), Concetta Defa (Assistant Business Agent) and Anthony (Tony) Sorro (Organizer of Local IBEW 354) representing the IBEW Local Union #354.

Klaas DeBoer Jr. (Chapter Manager NECA), Eric Laub (Cache Valley Electric), Josh Pettersson (Wasatch Electric) and Justin May (AC Electric) representing NECA.

Josh Pettersson is currently the Chairman and Steve Woodman is currently the Secretary.