IBEW Local 1 proudly hosted the graduation ceremony of the 22^nd Building Union Diversity (BUD) class. “The BUD program, created by the St. Louis Building Trades Council, began in 2014 as a recruitment tool to encourage more minorities and women to get into the union building trades. The five-week pre-apprenticeship program offers pre-apprentices the opportunity to visit local building trade unions to give them hands-on basic training and a feel for each of the trades.”  Two of the BUD program graduates have expressed an interest in training at the IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center. Learn more.

Meanwhile, our IBEW/NECA partners are casting a wide net to recruit apprentices for the IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center. Sylvester Taylor, director of diversity, equity and inclusion for the Electrical Connection, offered a compelling case for a career in the electrical and communications industry at the college scholarship fair, Infinite Scholars Fair, at Saint Louis University. Meanwhile, 55 miles west, instructor Andi George was out at Warrenton High School’s career fair this month to detail careers in building the nation’s electrical and communications infrastructure.  Best of all, these are careers where you “earn while you learn.” Learn more.

Do you have an unused but nice child’s coat languishing in a closet?  With the first chill in the air settling in for fall, the IBEW Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (EWMC) is raising money and looking for coats for its annual coat drive for children.  Since 2004, EWMC has given away 15,000 coats to families in need, 11,000 of them new coats.  If you would like to support the coat drive, EWMC is looking for new coats or used coats in good condition that are appropriate for children up to the age of 18.  You can drop off coats at the IBEW Local 1 union hall at 5850 Elizabeth Ave. in St. Louis or you can send a donation to:

IBEW Electrical Workers Minority Caucus

C/O Sylvester Taylor

5850 Elizabeth Ave.

St. Louis, Mo.63110

Make the check out to “EWMC Coat Drive.” The first round of coat giveaways will happen around Thanksgiving and will continue into the winter.  If you need more information, contact Sylvester Taylor, president of the EWMC, at 314-220-1407.