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U.S. Forecasts Electrical Worker Shortage

Statistics recently released by the U.S. Department of Labor suggest that the U.S. will need to train more than 270,000 new electrical and power line workers by 2016. Figures reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook reveal that between 2006 and 2016, an annual average of 27,000 new electricians will be necessary to accommodate growth in the industry as well as replacing those leaving the workforce -- with a total turnover rate of nearly 27% 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. 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." E. Milner Irvin, president of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), further adds that a growing concern for skilled electrical workers goes beyond geographic boundaries. "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, websites like 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."