Digital Electric Inc. Scores a Hat Trick!

Digital Electric Inc. and Digital CSM are two Burlington companies owned by Steve Hibbert, an Industrial/Commercial Electrical Contractor in business in Halton since 1987. The company recently hired three apprentices through apprenticesearch.com!

 

Digital Electric, located at 3474 Mainway Dr. in Burlington, installs, repairs and services automated Car Washes in more than 85  locations across Ontario. Digital CSM builds and tests custom panels to Ontario Code regulations to fit field electrician need and to optimize productivity. From underground cables to fiber-optics, Digital Electric deals with new and increasingly sophisticated technology. To find out more about this company check out their website at www.digital-electricinc.com. 

Steve's Pathway

Steve Hibbert became interested in the electrical field while still enrolled in secondary school. He worked part-time with an electrical contractor after school and on weekends and found what he was doing there to be more interesting and therefore more relevant and personally motivating for him than what he was taking at school. After successfully completing his apprenticeship and obtaining his Certificate of Qualification in 1980, and with subsequent years of experience in the trade, it seemed a natural and logical progression to open and own his own business. 

The Demographic Dilemma

Present work volumes keep Steve and his staff of 19 busy all the time. With the average age of his workforce in the mid 40's, Steve realized that by the next decade several of his present experienced staff could be retiring, jeopardizing his ability to keep up to the growing demands of the business unless he took steps to recruit, invest in and train young apprentices.

Perception of the Skilled Trades

When the word 'technology' is used these days people may associate it primarily with 'Information Technology' and think about career opportunities involving computers.  Career opportunities in the IT sector may be widely promoted, while lucrative career opportunities in the skilled trades go unnoticed because the technology in this area is not widely understood or is taken for granted. Steve notes that most personal computers plug into the electrical socket in the wall, and a knowledgeable person had better provide services to wire up that connection.

Affect on Bottom Line Profitability

Steve also observes that without hiring apprentices, keeping up with the demands of the workload will mean more and more overtime for present staff - and that affects bottom line profitability, as well as potentially burning out staff. 

Apprenticesearch.com

Steve and his Office Manager Lorraine Plouffe became aware of the services provided by apprenticesearch.com through another staff member. Lorraine found it simple and easy to post job vacancies, and was pleased with the response and the resumes forwarded to her from interested applicants. Two industrial electrician apprentices and one millwright apprentice were recently hired as a result of short-list and interview process.

Advice from An Employer to Potential Apprentices

Steve's advice to people considering a skilled trade is: take advantage of cooperative education while in secondary school to explore a skilled trade occupation you think you might like. By gaining hands-on experience, through co-op or work placement from a skills training course, an employer can be reasonably sure that when you apply for a job in their field that it's something you like and are motivated to stick with. Hobbies are also another good indicator of interest. 

Steve notes that an employer invests $10,000-$12,000 a year in formal training, between courses, benefits, time off and training on the job. Steve looks for people who will be a good fit with the job and who can make a commitment to the team, and over many years has trained over a dozen apprentices.

Apprenticeship

Gavin was recently hired through apprenticesearch.com as an Industrial Electrician with Digital Electric. His first exposure to the electrical field occurred in secondary school, in a shop class at Cardinal Newman. He has always been interested in the skilled trades, no doubt because his father and grandfather are millwrights, but found himself enrolled in an architectural program at a local community college. Although he was getting good marks in the program, he felt strongly that there was something missing - it just wasn't a good a fit for him. Further exposure from summer employment between school terms confirmed his interest in the skilled trades. 

Becoming an apprentice Industrial Electrician at age 23 has made a world of difference. Gavin likes to go to work in the morning, and enjoys the variety he finds at the job: it's never routine, and he is learning each and every day.

Advice to Potential Apprentices

Gavin encourages people with an interest in the skilled trades to give it a try - it's interesting work with good career potential.

He also notes that when he registered and posted a personal profile with apprenticesearch.com, he regularly received job alerts and would respond quickly by logging back in to check them out.

Ryan is a 24 year old apprentice Industrial Electrician who completed OAC and took an Electrical Technology course at a local community college that offered coop placement. Ryan therefore has exemption for basic and intermediate in-school training during his apprenticeship. 

Apprentice Pathways

Ryan was originally interested in Environmental Studies but found that the fit wasn't right. His hobbies tended to be electrical, and that's what led him to explore career opportunities in this field. He enjoys his job, the travel, and the opportunity to put learning and practice to good use. He heard about apprenticesearch.com through bus bench ads and was pleased to find a connection to an employer through our service.

Peter was hired as a third year Industrial Maintenance Mechanic/Millwright at Digital Electric. Although his coop at secondary school was in the automotive field, he felt the scope and variety of work offered as a millwright was a better fit for him. He enjoys learning something new and different every day, and finds the work challenging and satisfying.

Peter feels that the skilled trades offer a good opportunity for growth, and urges employers to invest in the future workforce - teach them how you want them to work while on the job and then reap the benefits. Most young people with an interest in the skilled trades are eager and enthusiastic about learning - it just takes an employer to invest in them to build the workforce of the future.

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