Opening Doors: Women Veterans Invited to Join Electrical Training Class

In order to attract more women into the trades, IBEW Local 11 will be conducting an All-Women’s Veteran Electrical Entry Program (VEEP) Pre-Apprenticeship class from Oct. 6 – Dec. 5. Mike Kufchak, Director of Veterans Affairs for Local 11, noted that while Local 11 has conducted a total of nine VEEP classes to date with up to 25 applicants in each class, only four women have attended any of the classes. 

Local Union 11 has constantly strived to increase the population of women in our trade, but it has proved to be a hard demographic to recruit. The sisters currently in the trade are constantly excelling to new heights. They hold titles that are equal and equivalent to those of their male counterparts within the Electrical Trade. 

VEEP provides veterans with direct entry into the apprenticeship program, provided they successfully complete the Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Local 11 has opted to expand their outreach that targets women, by creating an opportunity for Women Veterans by conducting an All-Women Class, according to Robert Corona, Business Manager/Financial Secretary of Local 11. 

For this All-Women VEEP Class to be successful, the local will be casting a net both far and wide to get the word out. We will be doing active recruitment on military installations, but more importantly we will be asking our members to help spread the word. They know veterans who are family members, friends or have acquaintances who know veterans looking for a career after their military service. 

“We have the ability through the Electrical Training Alliance to place these veteran women throughout the nation, not just here in Los Angeles,” Kufchak said. 

Eligibility requirements consist of the following: VEEP is a Department of Defense Approved Skill Bridge and Career Skills Program for those women still on active duty and are within their last 120 days of military service and will be in lieu of a favorable discharge. For Veterans who have already departed military service, they are eligible for up to 5 years from their discharge date to the date of filing an application. Additionally, they need to possess either an Honorable or General Under Honorable Conditions Discharge displayed on their DD 214 

Those interested should visit the www.in2veep.com website or they can contact Mike Kufchak directly at Kufchak@ibew11.org or by calling him direct at 951-830-7874.