RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. — On Saturday, April 13, Governor Peter Shumlin addressed the 55 graduates of the Vermont Department of Labor’s Electrical and Plumbing Apprenticeship Program. Vermont Technical College manages the apprenticeship classes under a grant provided by the Department of Labor, and the ceremony was held at the college’s main campus in Randolph Center.
“This program is an example of why we have such a bright future in Vermont,” said Governor Peter Shumlin. “There’s a shortage of plumbers, electricians and tradespeople. This journey assures you a high wage in Vermont for the foreseeable future.”
With approximately 400 students enrolled in the programs, classes are held at technical centers located in Barre, Essex, Hartford, Newport, Rutland, Springfield and St. Johnsbury. Many of the 2013 graduates are now eligible to take the Journeyman’s Licensing Exam, a group of state-specific electrical and plumbing examinations.
Top electrical and plumbing students were highlighted for their academic achievements at the ceremony. Bruce Wyman, President of the Green Mountain Chapter of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), presented a set of Klein tools to the top students in the Electrical 1 program and the 2014 National Electrical Code book and certificate for a free 15-hour Code Update to the top Electrical 4 graduates. The top plumbing 4 graduates were awarded $250 and an engraved plaque given by Brad Talbot, Executive Director of the Vermont Licensed Plumbers Association.
“The last ten years has seen a remarkable change in the quality of the State Apprenticeship Programs,” noted Glenn Fischer, a plumbing apprenticeship instructor who has taught in the program for seven years. “Under the guidance of the Vermont Tech apprenticeship program and the program’s supervisory personnel, the Plumbing Apprenticeship Program has matured into a solid technical training.”
For more information about Vermont Technical College, please visit www.vtc.edu.
###
About Vermont Technical College – Vermont Technical College is the only public institution of higher learning in Vermont whose mission is applied education. One of the five Vermont State Colleges, Vermont Tech serves students from throughout Vermont, New England, and beyond at its two residential campuses in Williston and Randolph Center, regional campuses in Brattleboro and Bennington and at six nursing campuses located throughout the state. Our academic programs encompass a wide range of engineering technology, agricultural, health, and business fields that are vital to producing the knowledge workers need most by employers in the state and in the region. www.vtc.edu.