IECRM – The Largest Electrical Apprentice Training Program in The U.S. Is Helping to Close the Gap in Skilled Trade Workers by Sending Hundreds of Electricians into the Workforce Each Year
On Saturday, June 1, 2024, Independent Electrical Contractors Rocky Mountain (IECRM) held a special graduation ceremony to honor the graduating class of 2024. A total of two hundred and twenty-three electrical apprentices graduated from IECRM’s 4-Year Electrical Apprenticeship Training Program. This monumental achievement was celebrated in person at the Westin Westminster with nearly 800 attendees, including friends, families, instructors, and supporting companies. The event was live-streamed for those who could not attend in person. Click here to see photos of the graduation ceremony.
Marilyn Akers Stansbury, IECRM CEO, welcomed guests to the ceremony.
IEC National Board President Bruce Kohan recorded a special message for the graduating class. “Your dedication and hard work have brought you to this significant milestone, and you should be immensely proud of your accomplishment. You have just completed four tough years of very rigorous training, on-the-job and classroom training. The IEC curriculum you were trained in was developed to meet the national needs of our industry by some of the top experts in the nation. It wasn’t designed to be easy. Its quality has been acknowledged by virtue of its acceptance across the nation by state apprenticeship councils, departments of education, US Department of Labor Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, and by the American Council on Education,” stated Kohan.
Annette Gauna, IECRM Training Manager, recognized IECRM’s instructors for milestones and achievements. “Being an IECRM Instructor is no easy task and takes up an immense amount of time and preparation for each class lesson. Our Instructors are ‘front line’ for the IECRM Apprenticeship Training program, and we certainly could not do it without them,” said Gauna, celebrating 27 years with IECRM this year.
The following instructors have been teaching for five years at IECRM:
Grady Gilmartin – Lab Technician
Sean Headrick – 1st-year instructor Northglenn
Jon Johansen – 3rd-year instructor online
Glenn Mann – 1st-year instructor Northglenn/Online
Joshua Parker – 3rd year instructor Northglenn/Online
Ubaldo Perez – 1st and 2nd year Spanish Northglenn
Ben Richards – 3rd-year instructor Northglenn
TJ Scuggs – 1st and 2nd year instructor Littleton
Paul Shelley – 1st-year Fast Track Instructor Online
Kevin West – 1st-year Instructor Online
15 Years: Luke Morrissette – 1st-year instructor Northglenn/Online
25 Years: Cal Blair & Steve Cauley
Instructor of the Year: Chris Shipp
Paul Lingo, IECRM Training Director, recognized the 4th-year winners of the recent IECRM Wire-Off Competition.
1st Place – Aaron McMurray, Montgomery Electric
2nd Place – Ian Senft, Herbert E & I
3rd Place – Thomas Rainville, Juniper Mountain
“Aaron McMurray will compete against the other IEC National Wire-Off Winners from across the United States for IEC National’s Apprentice of the Year Competition at the IEC National Convention in Tampa, FL, this October. Congratulations on your achievement. We look forward to you representing IEC Rocky Mountain in the national competition!” said Lingo.
Paul Lingo congratulated the top students identified by their peers and instructors and provided special recognition.
4th-Year Top Students
Cameron Dale, Interstates Construction Services
Joshua Doty, Double M, Inc
Brandon Ruff, Precision Service Electric
Thomas Santos, BLS Electrical
Ian Senft, Herbert E & I
William Escobar-Hoyos, Kenny Electric
Brett Grow, Welsh Electric
Brad Gainer-Cervantes, Welsh Electric
The 2024 Salutatorian (2nd highest cumulative GPA) is Jared Fleck, Winn Marion.
The IECRM 2024 Valedictorian (the highest Cumulative GPA) is Nathan Petraitis, Swanson Electric.
IECRM Apprentice of the Year: Aaron McMurray, Montgomery Electric
“I greatly look forward to building an amazing career worth working for. I am greatly looking forward to remaining connected to IEC and the amazing people who love this industry. My next steps start with training to win apprentice of the year in the national competition in Tampa this October. I’m trying to bring that trophy back to its rightful home. Also, thanks to Paul, I’ll return in August to start as an instructor,” said Aaron as he addressed the IECRM graduating class of 2024.
Paul Lingo, IECRM Training Director, proudly addressed the IECRM class of 2024, which started their apprenticeship in 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic and persevered to finish their education. “You now know how to Talk the Talk because you have Walked the Walk. And now that you know how the walk is walked – the road will lead to JW, Master Electrician, Project Manager, Estimator, Business Owner, Electrical Inspector, and if you get really, really lucky – Educators!
Though the road of apprenticeship is now ending, your journey as a SKILLED Electrician has now just begun. Encourage others to move forward in their career so that we can ensure our next generation electrician has a destination and path for success – remember that POWER IN IS POWER OUT, and from the famous words of Mr. Chris Shipp – That Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is there – Because YOU Installed it There.”
Partners in Education:
Emily Griffith Technical College
U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship
CSU Global
The State of Colorado Office of the Future of Work
The venue, breakfast reception, programs, production, and graduate gifts are made possible by our Contractor Members and Industry Partner sponsors of the 2024 graduation ceremony. “IECRM is grateful for the leadership and support that you provide every day, and especially to lead our graduates on their journey through this important ceremony,” said IECRM CEO Marilyn Akers Stansbury.
Thank you, sponsors!
Photography Sponsor
Encore Electric
Printed Program Sponsor
Ken’s Print & Graphics
The Home Depot Gift Cards for Grads Sponsor
All-Tech Electric
Media Sponsor
Colorado Construction & Design Magazine
Graduate Tool Sponsors
To learn about a career in the electrical industry and join the esteemed group of IECRM Electrical Apprenticeship Alumni, visit iecrm.org/apprenticeship-program.
