Career awareness often starts to take shape in middle school, making it a prime time to highlight opportunities within the electrical industry. Leadership with IBEW Locals 64 and 573, along with electrician apprentices, interacted with students at the sixth annual Mahoning Valley Skilled Trades Expo on September 16-18 at the Canfield Fairgrounds. Running the line […]
Eric Carlson, president and owner of “Joe” Dickey Electric, has been inducted as a Fellow into the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Academy of Electrical Contracting. He was recognized on September 13 at the annual NECA conference in Chicago. Carlson now joins a distinguished list of Mahoning Valley NECA members who have earned a place […]
Deciding on an electrical career was a big, first step, for Isaac Arnold, but he has the grit, patience and determination to build a solid future. The 22-year-old Lowellville native, now a third-year apprentice, didn’t waste time after high school. He had his sights set on being an electrician and got the nudge from a […]
IBEW Local 64 picnic had all the energy as it celebrated achievements, camaraderie and pride in the electrical trade. It was held at the Youngstown Shrine Club pavilion in North Lima on June 11. At least 50 apprentices from all levels gathered to recognize their hard work, build connections and reflect on their progress. They […]
The original blueprint for Tom Plummer’s life didn’t include being an electrician, but at the end of the day, he knew he wanted more than a desk job. Originally from Clarion, Pa., Plummer spent four years at Penn State Dubois, where he pitched for the baseball team and earned a degree in Human Development […]
What felt like a setback early in Alex Birtalan’s career ended up wiring him for growth within the electrical industry. He started as an electrician apprentice with “Joe” Dickey Electric in 2019. Three months in, he found out he was color blind, which then made it unsafe for him to be in the field. After […]
Michon Peterson’s decision to become a journeyman electrician started with a piece of advice from a family member. “My grandpa used to be a pipefitter,” he said. “He always told me to look into the trades.” Peterson took those words seriously, and the electrical trade was the first one he explored. He initially considered college […]
The IBEW Local 64 hall in Boardman became a hub of determination as it hosted the electrical trade’s construction wiring portion of the Northeast Regional SkillsUSA Competition. This was Local 64’s second year hosting the event, which moves to a new location every two years. Growing interest in electrical trades Ten students from career and […]
It was an emotional moment for Amy and Matt Connelly to present the first-ever memorial scholarship in honor of their son to his lifelong friend. Adam Connelly, 21, passed away in November 2022 following a car accident. At the time, Adam was a second-year apprentice with IBEW Local 573. In his memory, the Connellys are […]
Droves of students flocked to the electrical exhibit at the Mahoning Valley Skilled Trades Expo on September 17-19. They were learning to bend conduit, testing out a virtual reality tool that walks them through various electrical tasks, talking with apprentices about basic wiring and what a career is like, as well as getting an up-close […]