Massive shortage of electrical workers coming for U.S.

America will need to train more than 270,000 new electrical and power line workers by 2016, according to statistics recently released by the U.S. Department of Labor. Predictions are that, between 2006 and 2016, an annual average of 27,000 new electricians will be necessary to accommodate growth in the industry and to replace those leaving the workforce – with a total turnover rate of nearly 27 percent of the workforce. By 2016, the number of electrical and power line workers is expected to reach 877,000, with an increase of 66,000 jobs beyond the 2006 level of 817,000.

The figures are reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook, released online in December 2007 (http://www.bls.gov/), with a print version available by spring 2008.

Says Ed Hill, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), "It's imperative that we recruit and train the next generation of electricians today, because many electrical jobs require years of classroom and hands-on training before the necessary levels of worker quality and safety can be achieved. And being taught by experienced craftsmen is by far the best way to convey those skills."

Notes E. Milner Irvin, president of the National Electrical Contractors Association(NECA), "The need for skilled electrical workers to meet the growing demands of our high-tech society is a concern that cuts across geographical borders. That's why IBEW and NECA are actively recruiting new workers nationwide, using tools such as job fairs, DVDs, Web sites like http://www.electrifyingcareers.com/, even sponsoring a NASCAR racer to alert young people to the job opportunities in our industry. And through our National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, we offer young people the unmatched educational resources of America's largest electrical training program – and the chance to join the best-trained, most up-to-date electrical apprentices and journeymen in the country."

About IBEW and NECA

Through their joint marketing organization – the National Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (NLMCC) of the organized electrical construction industry

– NECA and IBEW together work to:

• Reach customers with accurate information about the industry; and
• Achieve better internal communication between labor and management.

Voice of the $100 billion industry responsible for bringing lighting, power and communications to buildings and communities across the United States, the National Electrical Contractors Association was founded in 1901. NECA's national office and 120 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research and standards development.

With 725,000 members who work in a wide variety of fields – including construction, utilities, telecommunications and manufacturing – the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is among the largest member unions in the AFL-CIO. The IBEW was founded in 1891.