Electrical Technology career and networking day at Kennebec Valley Community College

Fairfield, Maine (WABI) - The field of electrical technology needs workers.

“The trade historically tends towards older workforce, so we see a lot of people that are retiring or going towards other careers,” Vaughn Woodruff said.

Vaughan Woodruff, Training Center Director for Revision Energy, says the field is also in high demand due to a shift in commitment to address climate change.

“Meaning that we would take things that we would usually burn fossil fuels for like driving vehicles, heating homes etcetera and move them to being electrified through heat pumps, electrical vehicles,” he said.

This would create jobs and advancement opportunities for the 30 students from Kennebec Valley Community College graduating in May with either an associate in electrical technology or a certificate.

“They are in a pretty amazing position to have a credential that allows them to figure out what it is they want to do while they are getting paid to do it,” Woodruff said.

Some of the students are already in the field and are looking expand their knowledge.

‘You can do commercial, residential, and industrial work but then there is solar work as well, and now electric vehicles are becoming popular,” Caleb Chavarie, electrical technology student, KVCC said.

Others will also soon get their feet wet.

“I get to see a lot and just putting it at the back of my head that I might go somewhere different,” said Brian Dustin, electrical technology student, KVCC said.

“It is interesting to look at it from their point of view the business aspect, and it kind of shows that in this trade, you can grow and hopefully get to their point” Cutter Warger, electrical technology student, KVCC said.

Meanwhile, Woodruff says his company is a great place to start and the opportunities are endless from there.

“Training in this field is a lot of hands on training as well as learning about the electrical code, learning about the basics of electricity, learning about reading blue prints, etcetera. so the training that folks get here at KVCC as well as with apprenticeship programs like we have, basically helping gear them up to be well rounded electricians,” he said.

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