Electrical Training Programs Receive $500 Thousand Donation from Prysmian

UPPER MARLBORO, Md., Feb. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical Industry (NJATC) announced an agreement with Prysmian, world leader in the energy and telecom cables and systems industry, to create the Prysmian Cable Education Academy, a unique online program dedicated to training the next generation of electrical workers.

Over the next three years, Prysmian will donate $500,000 in cash, product and training support to help bring state-of-the-art learning technology to classrooms throughout NJATC's nationwide network of training facilities.  NJATC is a nonprofit organization founded by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to develop and standardize education in the electrical industry.

In particular, the new academy will add the dynamism of online training to the traditional mix of text, classroom and lab experience. The academy will include subjects such as cable construction and prep. Said Marty Riesberg, director of curriculum development for the NJATC, "The learning modules will allow a virtual study of medium voltage cable and its construction before the students put their hands on the real thing,"

Also supported by the Prysmian donation will be product endowments that will allow students to train with best-in-class electrical components. As well, Prysmian will host a series of Train-the-Trainer courses, providing classroom leaders with the information necessary to effectively teach the lessons associated with the academy.

Said Bill Wolfe, Prysmian business unit manager, "We're a strong believer in the IBEW's, NECA's and the NJATC's dedication to training excellence, and we are committed to supporting the future of skills training with these groups in America."

About Prysmian Group

Prysmian Group is world leader in the energy and telecom cables and systems industry. With over 130 years of experience, sales of some €8 billion ($10.8 billion) in 2012, about 20,000 employees across 50 countries and 91 plants, the Group is strongly positioned in high-tech markets and offers the widest range of products, services, technologies and know-how. In the Energy sector, Prysmian Group operates in the business of underground and submarine power transmission cables and systems, special cables for applications in many different industrial sectors and medium and low voltage cables for the construction and infrastructure industry. In the Telecom sector, the Group manufactures cables and accessories for the voice, video and data transmission industry, offering a complete range of optical fibres, optical and copper cables and connectivity systems.

About NJATC

The NJATC is a nonprofit organization founded in 1941 by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The organization is committed to developing and standardizing education in the electrical industry to properly and effectively train members of NECA and the IBEW; providing the electrical construction industry with the most highly trained and skilled workforce possible. Since its inception, more than 325,000 apprentices have completed NJATC training programs and become competent Journeymen, making the organization one of the largest training and apprenticeship programs of its kind. For more information, go to www.njatc.org.

About National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA)

NECA is the voice of the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA's national office and 119 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. For more information, visit www.necanet.org.

About The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

The IBEW is an international labor organization that has trained the most qualified electricians in the trade for more than 117 years.  With approximately 725,000 members in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Republic of Panama, the IBEW has members in construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government. For more information, visit www.ibew.org.

Contact Michael I. Callanan
[email protected]
301-715-2385 office

SOURCE The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee