Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc.  

Nashville,  TN 
United States

• Booth: 133

 Press Releases

• Collin Flischel: 2024 IEC Apprentice of the Year! (Jun 18, 2025)

  Go For It!  These are the three words Collin would tell people who are considering an electrical career. https://ieci.org/collin-flischel-2024-iec-apprentice-of-the-year/

  What would an electrical contracting company look like if it employed all of the finalists from the 2024 Apprentice of the Year competition? Competition winner Collin Flischel, IEC of Greater Cincinnatiand Denier Electric Co., Inc., says that he and fellow participants had a lot of fun with that thought as they posed for a group picture after the hard work of the competition was completed. 

  “Man, that would be wild,” he notes. “It was unbelievable getting to know apprentices from every part of the country and seeing the diversity in the jobs we’ve been on and the types of work we’ve been doing. They’re all just amazing people and even better electricians. I was really excited to meet the apprentices from Columbus and Cleveland and to see all the Ohio people together.” 

  Congratulations to Collin for putting his head down, focusing on the tasks at hand, and putting knowledge into action to leave Colorado Springs as 2024 IEC Apprentice of the Year (AOY). 

    

  Building to this Moment 

  Collin originally headed to college to obtain a degree in mechanical engineering. 

  

  “About halfway through, after getting past all the prerequisites and when I actually started to get a real taste of what the engineering looked like, I thought this doesn’t feel right,” Collin remembers. “I had taken a career prep course in high school for engineering and this wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. So, I left school and took a job just to wait until the next best thing.” 

  Knowing he liked working with his hands, he began investigating the trades. After looking at the pros and cons of each of them, electrical interested him the most. He applied to the union, provided requested materials, and took their intro tests. Hearing back from them that it would be some six months until he even began to interview was just not acceptable to him. 

  “That’s a long time to wait,” Collin shares. “I had already made up my mind and was ready to enter the field.” 

  His next step was to contact IEC of Greater Cincinnati to apply and test. A day or so after the test he received a response inviting him to interview with contractor Denier the following Monday. He took the interview, both sides liked what they saw, and a job offer was made. Several weeks later, Collin had his first day at Denier and has been learning and progressing since then. 

  “I joined Denier but the IEC school year had already begun,” he recalls. “I had to wait a year which helped me to just focus on the job.” 

   

  IEC Apprenticeship Program 

  With a year of Denier experience, Collin began IEC Apprenticeship Program classes and never looked back on his decision to follow an electrical career path. 

  “The instructors and staff at IEC Cincy are incredible,” Collin says. “They really care about the education of all the students and they’re always open for any questions. Even instructors that I hadn’t had for class were very open to helping us succeed.” 

  “The guy that hired me at Denier, Jake Gray, is also an IEC instructor and was my instructor in second year,” Collin says. “He had won IEC Apprentice of the Year in 2013. When I was working my way through school, he kept saying ‘you’re going to go for the competition, right?’ As soon as I heard about the competition, I knew I wanted to go for it. And when Jake hired me, he was newer to that hiring role and now has some bragging rights saying he knows what to look for when it comes to apprentice of the year! 

  “Jake really pushed me and gave me great career advice — you get out what you put into education, to work, to the competition, to everything. He’s a really smart guy and really cares about education,” Collin concludes. 

  Collin is equally complimentary of IEC Cincy Training Director Kevin Collins, who he says goes “above and beyond” for educating electrical students. 

  “He is unbelievable,” Collin says. “I think Kevin is one of the individuals that makes Cincinnati, in my opinion, one of the best apprenticeship programs in the country. He is incredibly dedicated to IEC and its apprentices.” 

   

  Denier Support  

  When Collin started with Denier, he first was on a service truck and exposed to a variety of projects in Denier’s commercial and industrial niche. Next, he moved into working with Denier teams in a tenant finish role, renovating or customizing office building space changing hands. That was followed by a move to the new construction section of the company. 

  Collin believes Denier saw potential in him from the beginning and continues to teach and challenge him to be all he can be. He says there are a ton of Denier employees who have been there 20-plus years and even 30-plus years. To him, who is five years in, he likes seeing that people consider Denier a place to make a lifelong career. 

  “I like the people I work with and one of my favorite things about Denier is the abundance of opportunity it provides for all of its employees. They are big about bringing people up from the inside,” he adds. “Maybe halfway through my third year, I was running projects and supervising younger apprentices. After I graduated, I went straight from apprentice to a support foreman which was a big jump with lots of exciting and sometimes daunting responsibilities.” 

  Collin talks about the thrill of now having seen many projects from start to finish. In particular, the company is nearing completion of work on the University of Cincinnati building that houses an indoor practice field for the football team among other athletic facilities. 

  “I’ve been there since June of 2024 and it’s coming together,” he says. “I walk through and say, yeah, I remember that light. It was a pain to install but it looks pretty cool now!” 

   

  Back to the Competition 

  His five years with Denier and four years in the Apprenticeship Program definitely paid off when heading to the competition early in 2025. Originally scheduled for SPARK 2024 in Tampa, FL, Hurricane Milton meant a later competition and a new venue in Colorado Springs at IEC Southern Colorado. While it was a different experience without the convention crowds, Collin had nothing but praise for the event and those staff and volunteers running the event. 

  “The facility at Colorado Springs was really nice for our three days of competition,” Collin says. “We had the written portion one day, the big wire-off the next day, and then the remaining categories the last day. We came in on Wednesday, the night before the competition started and left on Sunday after the awards ceremony.”  

  He thought the ladder diagram category was the most difficult for him, as well as for most apprentices. They were given an hour to draw up the plans for the given scenario.  

  “It was a doozy, really rough,” he recalls. 

  The wire off was easier for Collin. Competitors had four hours to complete the assigned project according to specifications provided to them. Here Collin drew upon his regional wire off and Denier experience and important words he remembers hearing from Cincy’s Kevin that you don’t have to be the best at everything. 

  “I don’t think I placed first in any of the categories in Colorado Springs,” he says, “but I did just well enough in all categories. The total scores were extremely close, and I barely won. It was a really, really good competition.” 

  Collin also keeps Jake’s words about getting out of things what you put into them top of mind in his efforts. He knows he’s in the right field, is currently in the process of obtaining his master’s license, and taking advantage of Denier opportunities to explore all aspects of the trade. 

  “I’m going to keep gaining experience and honing my skills to be the best electrician I can be,” he concludes. “I really enjoy electrical work. The physical parts of it help me stay in shape and the mental side challenges me to figure out the pieces of the puzzle.” 

  ---

  Go For It! 

  These are the three words Collin would tell people who are considering an electrical career. In fact, he has said these words to friends and family members who have asked him about the career path. 

  “The skills and knowledge you get during the IEC Apprenticeship Program last you the rest of your life whether you stay in the field or not,” he says. “The basic knowledge helps you understand how something works when it goes wrong at your house. You know the safety hazards associated with electrical and you can figure out what’s wrong, decide whether you have the skills to fix it yourself or if you need to give it to somebody who does.” 

  Interested? Visit ieci.org/apprenticeship to begin your journey. 

  
  
  
   

• IEC Foundation Announces First EmpowerHER Scholars (Jun 18, 2025)

  In 2025, the Foundation took its support to the next level and introduced the EmpowerHER Scholarship.  https://ieci.org/iec-foundation-announces-first-empowerher-scholarship-awardees/

  IEC Foundation Announces First EmpowerHER Scholarship Awardees

  • by IEC

   

   

   

   

  

  For years, the IEC Foundation has provided financial assistance to individuals seeking to become electricians through the IEC Apprenticeship Program. In 2025, the Foundation took its support to the next level and introduced the EmpowerHER Scholarship.  

  Congratulations to Maria Cera Martinez and Isabella Sherwood — the Foundation’s first EmpowerHER Scholarship winners! 

  Applicants had to meet IEC Foundation’s scholarship requirements, and demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to advancing opportunities for women in the field. The EmpowerHER Scholarship aims to support women pursuing careers in the electrical industry by promoting inclusion and professional growth. This fits perfectly with the mission of the scholarship’s inaugural year sponsor, the Wesco Women’s Impact Network(WIN). 

  “WIN is a global resource and support network aimed at creating a space where women, allies, and the wider Wesco community feel valued, heard, and encouraged to have an impact,” says Shaunda Cohen, Wesco manager of supplier relations and WIN board member. “Through WIN, we have professional development opportunities and personal empowerment opportunities for our members.” 

  Shaunda says one of the goals for WIN was to award scholarships to deserving and qualified students who have demonstrated drive, dedication, and leadership as they pursue a career in the electrical industry. The EmpowerHER Scholarship encourages continued education and recognizes women’s contributions and helps advance their role in shaping the future of the electrical and construction industries. 

  “We congratulate Maria and Isabella for being the first recipients of the EmpowerHER Scholarship and we look forward to the contributions that they’re going to make in the electrical field,” Shaunda says. “We’re excited to watch them grow and develop into future leaders and role models.” 

    

  Maria 

  While Maria is just completing her first year in the IEC Rocky Mountain Apprenticeship Program, she is no stranger to electrical work. That’s because her husband, Erick Cabrera, is a journeyman electrician about a year away from obtaining his masters. Maria became interested in the field through him and, in fact, started off at the same company he works for, GTD Electric, based in Littleton, CO, as an electrical apprentice. 

  “There is a lot of opportunity and growth in this industry,” says Maria. “Other than GTD’s owner, I haven’t seen many other women in the field. When I can figure out a tough math problem and have a solution, it motivates me and makes me realize that, yes, I can do this. There are endless opportunities for everyone in this field.” 

  Maria is a student in the first IECRM apprentice class taught in Spanish and the only woman in that class. She says her apprenticeship class has been a good experience where she’s met many good and respectful peers and instructors alike. 

  “The teaching is in Spanish but the textbook is still in English,” Maria adds. “We have a great instructor, Ubaldo Perez, who interprets what is in the textbook and helps us to understand. He explains everything so well, especially when it comes to theory and code.”

  

  Maria says the most challenging part of her apprenticeship is finding the time to do her homework. She’s juggling roles of mom, wife, worker, and student. The whole family is supportive and encouraging. Maria’s husband and her older daughter were extremely helpful during the EmpowerHER Scholarship process by interpreting communications, working on practice interviews, and watching her younger daughter on Maria’s school night. 

  Maria appreciates being awarded the EmpowerHER Scholarship as it eases the financial burden on her family and helps her to move along in her journey to become a licensed electrician. She also feels it helps paves a path for encouraging more women to enter the industry. 

  “First and foremost, I want to thank the IEC Foundation and Wesco and be sure they know how appreciative I am,” Maria says. “I want them to continue the push to motivate women to enter the industry and help all to understand that men and women alike can be successful in the electrical field. The IEC Apprenticeship Program is very doable and great at supporting women in the industry.” 

    

  Isabella 

  Isabella’s career path is a bit different than Maria’s. She was in college out of state but a heart condition brought her back home to complete an associates degree at a local community college.  

  “I didn’t exactly choose to be in the electrical field but I have chosen to continue and I have gained a respect for the trade,” Isabella says. “When my mom (Natasha Sherwood, now with IEC National as the director of workforce and chapter development) was executive director for the Florida West Coast IEC chapter, she needed some help with little things in the office which was how I started working with IEC. While working there, I was presented with an opportunity to help coordinate a pre-apprenticeship program. At first, I thought that I was unqualified for the position and also was not fully sure that I wanted to take the job because it was not what I originally was planning to do as a career. But now since I have been running the program and been able to meet all of the students that I am helping, I love the job and learned that it is necessary to start kids in this field at a young age so that they are able to gain a full understanding of all of their opportunities for the future and that college is not the only one.” 

  

  As the chapter’s pre-apprenticeship program coordinator, Isabella is responsible for enrolling students in the program, tracking and collecting all official paperwork, scheduling CPR and OSHA training for the students, and planning a hiring event to help students acquire summer internships / jobs. She also runs manpower for the chapter which entails reaching out to all potential apprenticeship candidates, reviewing their submitted materials, and then sending them out to chapter contractors and companies. 

  Isabella continues her college classes to earn her bachelor’s degree in business management and masters in construction management.  

  “I am sincerely honored and grateful to be selected as one of the scholarship recipients,” Isabella says. “IEC Foundation and Wesco generosity and support mean so much to me and will significantly ease the financial burden of my education. This scholarship allows me to focus more on my studies and pursue my academic and career goals with greater confidence. I truly appreciate your investment in my future, and I am committed to making the most of this opportunity. Thank you for believing in me and for your generosity — I hope to one day give back and help others, just as you have helped me.” 

   

  

  

• From STEM Educator to the Electrical Industry (Jun 18, 2025)

  Prior to the electrical industry, I was a math and science educator (STEM) in the public school setting for​​ 12 years. https://ieci.org/membership/become-a-member/

  From STEM Educator to the Electrical Industry

  • by Heather Creech, EcoPower Electric Co.

   

   

   

   

  

  Editor’s Note: The article author, Heather Creech, is a newly named member of the 2025 IEC Emerging Leaders cohort. She shares her career path story as an example of how electrical contractors can think beyond the traditional post-high school entry point to the electrical industry. She also provides highlights of her chapter’s and her company’s efforts on workforce recruitment and retention. 

   

  Prior to the electrical industry, I was a math and science educator (STEM) in the public school setting for​​ 12 years. My students truly THRIVED when I was able to take a backward design approach to learning and created some award-winning, client-connected projects. One in particular was when I was given an earthquake simulator for my geology unit. I split my teams into “companies” and had them research, design, build, and test their “buildings” to withstand a 7.0 earthquake. Each hour, the team that won were the ones who constructed a building with minimal damage and without exceeding their budgets. Winners from each hour would then have an opportunity to have lunch and learn with visiting industry professionals to learn more about their jobs. Despite having specific leadership roles, I noticed the females in my class let the boys dominate the conversation and were much better at looking at the research before just buying materials and jumping in. I then started to make this a battle of the sexes challenge and saw my female teams dominate…I have seen several of my former students pursue science / trade careers since then and I am beyond proud. 

  As an educator I found it hard to prepare kids for a future that didn’t seem real to them yet. When it came to electrical, it was really hard to get kids excited about electricity — so I would seek outside professionals to make it fun and relevant. I had a rep from Ameren (electric power and natural gas utility) bring in kits that kids could put their hands on (the original LEDs) and the rep told the best stories of an interesting industry. Back then, I had no clue what this industry truly had to offer. 

  Fast forward to surviving the opening and closing of a brick-and-mortar health coaching company from 2018-2022, where I learned first-hand what it was like to run a business. I was promoted to senior-level business development based on how my store and team performed, against all odds. We kicked it old school: mailed handwritten cards, sent care packages, spoke on ​​TV, radio and podcast, volunteered in the community, built STRONG relationships, and were creative in how we could get foot traffic inside our new building during a pandemic. We were protected under the Homeland Security Act and turned our discovery room into a place where blood donations could occur. Since schools and businesses were closed, we saw an opportunity to help. When that company decided to close its doors, I ended up finding temporary work for a workforce development SAS company that sent me to Jefferson City for the Missouri Workforce2030 Conference. It was there that I learned about the IEC — and was invited for a tour of IEC Greater St. Louis. That led to my first job in the electrical industry. 

   

  My IEC Chapter Role 

  My career path has been driven by a couple of great recruitment efforts, and I have benefitted and learned from both of them. First, the invitation to visit the IEC chapter led to me accepting the training director role at the IEC of Greater St. Louis. I immediately connected myself to leaders in other successful chapters, such as Kathy Gurba and Jeff Hooper, to wrap my brain around how to serve in my role well. 

  

  My team and I worked diligently to connect with 58 schools through a variety of recruitment tactics. Sure, we did the traditional “lemonade stand job fairs” but those events felt so impersonal and fleeting. We started to set up tours, like students who visit colleges before making their decisions, and invited kids and electrical tech classes in to meet contractors, put their hands on tools, pull wire, and ask questions. They all left with a swag bag and materials to get started. We would give our potential students a red-carpet tour, just like in college, and have their names on the big screens when they walked in and truly tried to personalize their experience (just like I had when teaching). The hands-on experience plus college credit of an electrical apprenticeship was so easy to speak to because it’s not a matter of either / or anymore — it’s an incredible opportunity to do both and never feel stuck. We even built a relationship with a local community college which opened up another classroom for us (for free) so our apprentices could have a smooth transition to their associates degrees. I leveraged my teaching experience and pushed my way into courses that taught electrical standards and shared what we do. It was SO fun! 

  During my initial tour at the IEC, one of the instructors, a former vet, showed me two panels. Both worked, but the one that was nice, neat, and organized was done by a female. That moment took me back to my STEM days…and I appreciated how much pride he took in educating the next generations of electricians — three of which were my former high school students. Talk about full circle! 

  A unique approach my team and I executed for recruitment was to connect some of my A&T Committee members into the field with my hometown high school construction tech class. These students, along with two terrific instructors, built real homes which then went on the market for sale. I arranged a day for our contractors to come out and be an extra set of hands and eyes on the students as they wired the house. It was one of the coolest moments because I could see how much FUN our contractors were having, showing some efficiency tricks of the trade and finding leaders to elevate. From there, I would see kids wearing high-vis t-shirts and the course hung up our banners in their school. To this day, I am still referring to students I meet in my new role. 

  Lastly, another approach was actively connecting with organizations that help place retiring veterans. I come from a strong Army family and some of our best contractors and workers already possess those hard skills (I never call them soft) it takes to do well in our industry. In fact, we had an active duty serviceman apply, pass our year one exam, and hit the ground running in year two! 

   

  Next Up: Electrical Contracting Company 

  The second recruitment effort I experienced led to my current role as marketing and business development manager at EcoPower Electric Co., an IEC of Greater St. Louis chapter member. After sitting down with owners Kent and Amanda Joggerst last year, I felt like I had found a place to really utilize my skillset and experience. I am a great connector, and they saw my superpower for what it’s worth. Kent and Amanda took a leap of faith and invested in me to help them grow inside out, and outside in. Seeing the other side of the electrical industry, let me tell you, it is NOT for the weak! This power couple is truly doing things the right way to grow at a manageable pace — and I am here for it! 

  

  EcoPower is an active member with the Home Builders Association Student Chapter Committee as well and recently was one of four sponsors for an etiquette lunch. We had the opportunity to really get to know and meet two future electricians. Among our other recruitment and development activities: 

  • Work with local high schools to come tour our facility and connect with our leadership team 
  • Volunteer to visit high schools with electrical trades curriculum and give feedback on curriculum 
  • Help facilitate a “Competition in a Box” where local schools got to compete for prizes 
  • Speak at chambers and Business Networking International (BNI) groups about what makes our apprenticeship/company unique 
  • Conduct one-on-ones with our apprentices and field workers to ensure they are on the right path and in the right division 
  • Volunteer for “Build My Future” events in our area 
  • Promote from within 
  • Have two veteran leaders on staff to speak to that market 
  • In the process of beta-testing a safety app that has multiple features to ensure our team is safe every single day 
  • Host company outings 
  • Share St. Louis Blues’ season tickets with employees and partners 
  • Meet weekly with a business coach who helps us streamline our goals and action plan to ensure we continue to be a successful business 

  Furthermore, at EcoPower, we are extremely picky about who we bring onto our team.  

  “We’re very, very particular on who we hire and who is part of our team,” Kent says. “We want to make sure that each employee is a good fit for us personally and professionally. We have a group of people that really looks out for one another and takes care of one another at work and away from work. That’s very important to me.” 

  Kent’s process begins with each applicant supplying a resume, whether they are just out of high school or years into their electrical career. Through this, he evaluates the candidate’s attention to detail, ability to use simple technology, and overall thought process. 

  “I pay close attention to details like grammar and punctuation on resumes,” he says. “If someone takes the time to get the small things right when applying, it shows they’re likely to be detail-oriented on the job as well.” 

  Next is a telephone interview to get a better feel for the person, followed by an in-person interview for those who seem to fit the EcoPower community. Kent highly values ethics, personality, ability to work as part of a team, and leadership potential.  

   Kent, who also is part of the 2025 IEC Emerging Leaders cohort, and Amanda saw these things in me, and I find it’s easy to spread the word on a company like EcoPower. Our company tries its best to promote from within and create a workplace and environment so that we can all put our heads down at night and be proud of what we do and how we help our people. We have a great reputation in our area, and we intend to keep it that way. 

  Kent and Amanda have worked hard to build our company’s reputation. They lead by example and EcoPower employees respect their drive, talent, and compassion. We always strive to do outstanding work for our clients and exceed their expectations. In return, Kent and Amanda respect each employee and value their individual skills. I feel blessed they took a chance on me and am honored to help them continue to grow their business. 

• IEC Empowers Opportunities by Driving Florida DJJ (Jun 18, 2025)

  Start with a good idea. Begin to gather the pieces needed and put them in motion. Then get out of the way when things start to gel! https://ieci.org/iec-empowers-opportunities-by-driving-florida-department-of-juvenile-justice-program/

  IEC Empowers Opportunities by Driving Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Program

  • by Mikayla Hrinowich

   

   

   

   

  

  BY IEC STAFF

  Start with a good idea. Begin to gather the pieces needed and put them in motion. Then get out of the way when things start to gel! 

  IEC Florida West Coast Executive Director Natasha Sherwood saw this process in action when she dreamed about working within the state juvenile detention centers to train electricians. Growing out of the need to fill the skilled labor pipeline and a heart for second chances, this idea took off. 

  “I’m one of those people that believe that God puts the right people in the right place at the right time,” Natasha says. “We were already working with the Florida Department of Corrections to identify potential career paths as people exited the system. I had often felt ‘if only we could get this program to youth….’ It was amazing to me how I kept finding people to help make this happen.” 

  Today, the first student in this program has been released from detention, successfully interviewed for a job, and is proudly continuing his training in the IEC Apprenticeship Program. 

   

  From Idea to Reality 

  

  Natasha remains somewhat in awe that opportunities kept opening up and people appeared to help make this dream a reality. The first was Rob Aguis. Natasha and Rob first crossed paths when he was campus director at one of the technical colleges where the chapter does its apprenticeship training. He retired from there but they continued to cross paths through their activity in the Florida Association of Career Technical Education. One such time was in July of 2023. 

  “We were catching up by phone one day and I asked Rob what he was up to these days,” Natasha recalls. “He said he was getting ready to move over to a position with the Department of Juvenile Justice. I told him that’s amazing!”  

  Rob was serving as Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) director of postsecondary and workforce education. Through her role as president of the Florida Apprenticeship Association, Natasha had been working with the Florida Department of Corrections attempting to interest adults leaving jail and entering their supervision phase to discover what they want to do and help them find work. 

  “We use a platform called Jobtimize, which essentially helps people figure out types of work where they’d be a good fit,” says Natasha. “I told Rob what I’d really love to do is put that program into the DJJ to help youth.” 

  Natasha says the two of them excitedly discussed how such a program might look and what they could do. Rob asked Natasha to put together a proposal for him. She did so, and for months Rob worked with the appropriate teams at DJJ, including DJJ Deputy Secretary Adrienne Campbell, who challenged them with additional questions, suggestions, and requests. Natasha collaborated with many others, especially the Florida Trade Academy who had expertise in providing the IEC electrical pre-apprenticeship program, to see how best to deliver training, where to conduct classes, who would instruct, how would they evaluate, and more. 

  Then on Friday, March 22, 2024, Natasha got a call from Rob. 

  “He said to me, ‘OK, I’ve got the go ahead. Can we start on Monday?’” Natasha says. “I’m like…. which Monday? Monday, 72 hours from now? He said yes, 72 hours from now. I didn’t want to say no and, fortunately, we had been working hard exploring the idea and involving many skilled parties who could help execute.” 

  Immediately, Natasha connected with her contacts at the Florida Trade Academy. They said yes to Monday. She called former IEC instructor Sarah High who had been involved in planning discussions on this new program possibility. She said yes to Monday. Perhaps the most important yes in the process was the one young man within the Department of Juvenile Justice who wanted to receive electrical training. 

  “We made it happen for virtual instruction three days a week for three hours,” Natasha says. “That first class included the young man, Sarah, Rob, Brandy Gonzalez and Lynette Barcewicz from the Florida Trade Academy, Matthew W. Ball for reentry counseling, and me. That’s the best instructor to student ratio you’ll ever find!” 

   

  The Young Man 

  The inaugural student turned 20 four months into the program. But, according to his instructor Sarah High, he ‘grew’ in so many ways besides age in the short time they’ve been in class together. Mostly, he grew to believe in himself, she says. 

  “Working with this young man is actually one of the highlights of my career,” Sarah says. “It really is.” 

  And Sarah’s career is packed with experience and accomplishment. She is a master electrician and earned an MBA from the University of Maryland. Her career began at the National Security Agency in Maryland, was recruited to the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and then moved to the University of Maryland College Park. Sarah first connected with IEC as an instructor for IEC Chesapeake. 

  “One of the things that I always admired about the electrical industry is that electricity today is the same as electricity a hundred years ago,” she says. “And, if you could teach guys to do it, you could definitely teach me. I’ve always had that passion of changing the narratives and watching the faces and expressions of students when they come into class and see their teacher is an African-American woman.” 

  It was while working with IEC Chesapeake that Sarah first had the opportunity to participate in a juvenile justice program where as part of their reentry, youth had to have an academic plan and pre-apprenticeship was part of it. 

  

  “Having knowledge of some of the basic skills, knowing hand and power tools, and understanding OSHA 10, confined space, and safety changed their lives,” she recalls. “They were receiving an education and they were learning life skills. If you have skills, you can go on a construction site, you can follow directions, you can be on time, and you can meet the expectations of the supervisor on the fourth floor who asked you to go down to the truck and bring back a crescent wrench.” 

  When Sarah moved to Florida upon her ‘first’ retirement, she connected with Natasha and began to teach in the IEC program. When she learned they were attempting to pull together a program with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice similar to what she experienced in Maryland, she shared her knowledge with Natasha. When it came to fruition, Sarah was ready. 

  “Sometimes we as educators see something in the students that they don’t see in themselves,” Sarah says. “When they begin to see it, oh my, the feeling is wonderful. The engagement comes. The body language changes. They are starving for information; they want more. I have a red, white, and blue card so I’m old enough for Medicare but I just continue to work because the Lord empowers me to pour into the lives of individuals that they can have lifelong skills, develop, make themselves better, and always have a job if they get up and go to work.” 

  Sarah is grateful for being able to work with this young man — first while he was incarcerated and now that he’s out of the facility and pursuing his career. She taught the electrical side of things, and supported the efforts of the career coach. 

  “We started with core learnings and moved into an electrical specialty,” Sarah explains. “When it came time to evaluate what he had learned and the young man said ‘Ms. Sarah, I ready to take my final test,’ the facility allowed me as the instructor, the Florida Trade Academy partners, and the DJJ representatives to be on hand and witness as the young man used the hand tools, used the power tools. We actually built a project — a horse — in the facility and it held me so it was built well. The pride and joy of being a part of that is amazing. The thought-provoking questions he now asks are amazing. He realizes his potential.” 

   

  From ‘Small’ Beginnings… 

  When Natasha and Sarah talk about this inaugural program, the only thing ‘small’ about it is the class size of one student. Every possible advantage from numerous established agencies was tapped, and hours and hours of sweat equity were poured into its launch. 

  The results, however, are large. 

  The young man has been released and is pursuing his electrical career. While in custody and learning in the inaugural program, he tested and received his NCCER CORE certification and began Level 1 Electricity coursework. Due to this inaugural program’s success, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice opted to continue the program working through the Florida Trade Academy and had about 10 youth signed up for services beginning January 2025. 

  Also, in December 2024, the DJJ gave the green light to develop full apprenticeship programs across all its 49 sites not only in electrical, but also in craft labor, solar, full stack (web development), and manufacturing. Trust had been earned, value had been seen, and progress continues. 

  “When we jumped into this, we didn’t even know what the finished program would be,” says Natasha. “The look and feel have changed dramatically from what we first thought, but the outcome remains the same. We found numerous resources and people willing to pour into some kids the idea that they might have a better opportunity when they exit. That’s exactly what we wanted!” 

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  Three Steps to Success 

  • Use Jobtimize to assess job fields where candidate would be a ‘good fit’ 
  • Provide proven education and training for electrical with the IEC curriculum 
  • Offer Vametric VALID-8 record of accomplishments, including video showing student performing skills learned 

  “Folks who have been incarcerated have a lot stacked against them,” says Natasha. “If I’m trying to place people with one of my contractors, I want to be able to say they’re going to be good electricians. Jobtimize tells me they have the innate DNA to be good electricians. Then, we give them this amazing, proven education through IEC. VALID-8 takes it a step further by digitally documenting what they’ve been able to learn so my contractors can see their skills.” 

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