It worked so well in Phoenix that a Grand Canyon University program launched Tuesday in another growing city – Austin, Texas.
The Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians Pathway will help fill a shortage of construction electricians and provide an avenue of employment for those who can’t, or don’t want to, pursue a four-year college education.
Rosendin, the electrical contractor who helped debut the program at GCU, identified Austin as a key location to expand because of its growth.
“Wherever they want us, that’s where we go,” said Brian Jones, director of GCU’s Center for Workforce Development, which has provided pathways for electricians and machinists at the Phoenix campus since 2022 and, for the first time, is expanding to another location.
“It’s a national security issue. I hear this from CEOs and managers all the time. Up to 50% of the trades workforce is retiring in the next few years, so getting people trained by folks who know the trades is extremely important.”
In just three years in Phoenix, 288 participants have completed the Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians or Computer Numerical Control Machinist (CNC) pathways. The center was recently given the Greater Phoenix Chamber's IMPACT Award for Economic Driver for Mid to Large Companies.
Jones said one of the 18 participants is driving all the way from San Antonio. “That’s how excited people are about trade pathways,” he said. “They are willing to travel to get there.”
After taking math and communications courses in a classroom and hands-on instruction in electrical foundations at Rosendin over the 15-week study, participants will be assisted by the center’s team in finding work or apprenticeship opportunities. Rosendin hires many of them, as well as union and nonunion contractors, as they embark on apprenticeships.
Jobs for electricians are expected to grow by 11% from 2023 to 2033 with a median annual pay of $61,590, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“The construction industry is one of the largest in the country, with 8 million workers across a wide spectrum of specialties,” said Mike Greenawalt, Rosendin CEO Emeritus, in a press release. “Together, Rosendin and GCU are educating people about career options and helping to solve the current workforce shortage.”
That’s what attracted Melissa Lombraña to become the Austin site’s program manager.
“It’s a great opportunity for families and young adults who want to better themselves,” she said of the initial class of mostly young Latino males. “People get discouraged if they can’t afford to go to a four-year school or don’t have the time, so I feel like this is a great opportunity for families, young people, and also older people, to make a good living.”
She said the area is booming with new construction, including a $17 billion chip plant by Samsung in nearby Taylor, Texas, and a new airport terminal, and need electricians.
One recent high school graduate didn’t have a laptop and the center was working to get him one as the evening classes began on Tuesday.
“That is an example of these families in need of that opportunity,” Lombraña said.
Grand Canyon University senior writer Mike Kilen can be reached at [email protected]
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