Electric City, Inc., in partnership with Starving Electrician, Inc, will provide paid on the job electrical pre-apprentice training for Michigan Veterans to complete residential electrical fire hazard renovations, putting Vets and Detroit to work on their communities.
Project Details
Location // Detroit, Michigan
Organization // Electric City, Inc
Type of Project // On the job electrical contractor training performing free electrical fire hazard renovations for disabled Veterans & adults, senior citizens, and economically challenged homeowners of Michigan
Target Market // Michigan Veterans
Target Number of Candidates // 200
Target Number of Single Family Residences for Major Electrical Renovations // 30
Eligibility // Please see attached guidelines
Total project cost // 1,513,500 million
Project Overview
The Springboard Lighthouse Program will provide Michigan Veterans with on the job electrical pre-apprentice training to assist with and/or complete work for Electric City, Inc’s eligible clients receiving electrical fire hazard renovations, as well as community development projects in and around Detroit, Michigan; giving deserving families peace of mind and safety in their homes, contributing to confidence and dignity, and making employment of our Veterans a priority.
Many homes in Michigan were built between 1950-59, and most have not had any electrical updates. This aging infrastructure is a major safety concern. From 2010-15, over 3,000 homes had a fire of electrical origin only with property damages costing just under $63 million, and several civilian injuries, including loss of life.
Faulty electrical wiring accounts for almost half of these fires, and electrical fire losses and fire death are significantly higher than non-electrical fires.
Per the US Census Bureau, there is a 71% homeownership rate in Michigan with an estimated 181,419 disabled Veterans, over 1.4 million senior citizens, 1.56 million disabled adults ages 18 and over, and over 15.3% of the overall population being below poverty level.
These men and women may be unaware that they are in danger of an electrical fire, do not know who to reach out to for electrical upgrades, and/or do not have the funds to make the appropriate renovations. They need resources to make the electrical upgrades so they are safe in their homes with their families.
In Michigan there are an estimated 626,722 Veterans, of which 60,792 are unemployed, 48,240 are living below poverty, and 29.4% are disabled.
Detroit has an estimated 32,596 Veterans with 20.6% of them being unemployed and living below poverty, and 34.4% disabled.
With Detroit undergoing an economic resurgence, our pre-apprenticeship program will help to ensure that the local workforce has the correct training and skills to keep up with Detroit’s changing economy.
Through partnerships with Starving Electrician, Inc., government and non-government organizations, and grant seeking efforts, Electric City, Inc. will collaborate to provide a revolving on the job training environment that produces a well-rounded knowledge base and provide its eligible target market with safe, free major electrical renovations in the Wayne County area.
Project Goals
- Provide the building blocks of skilled trade job training for Michigan Veterans, with a specific focus on electrical pre-apprenticeship
- Give comprehensive training in skills needed to succeed and advance careers, with daily hands-on experience to improve their trade
- Pride in providing deserving families peace of mind and safety in their homes, and in being a part of Detroit’s economic resurgence
- Lower civilian injuries and death in home electrical fires and lesson property dollar losses from electrical fires
- Increase electrical fire risk awareness via partnerships with safety organizations
- Employment and educational opportunities created in collaboration with local and regional partners
- Create a replicable model and spread capacity so that similar work can prosper in communities across Michigan
Project Description & Progress Update
The Springboard Lighthouse Program is currently in the capacity building and pilot project phase with a specific focus on training Michigan Veterans, while seeking eligible electrical fire hazard repair clients via referrals through partnerships with organizations that the Program’s target markets utilize, with plans to expand programming into all of Wayne County and eventually encompass the state of Michigan.
The Project is centered on putting our transitioning soldiers to work by putting them on a path to an Electrical Journeyman’s license, Master Electrician’s license, and a career in electrical, as well as teaching them a skill they can build on and take pride in as a career. This training will position our clients to more easily seek permanent work.
On the job training is performed once electrical fire hazard clients are identified and an application is completed. A licensed electrician/educator visits the home to assess the electrical needs, and determines if an electrical renovation is needed. If imminent danger is present, they will be added to a work order for approval by Electric City, Inc’s Board of Directors. Once approved and funding permits, the electrical work will be scheduled to be completed by our on the job trainee’s overseen by Starving Electrician, Inc. The client will also receive electrical safety fact sheets to help raise awareness of electrical dangers and keep their families safe.
In our electrical program, each candidate will become a licensed apprentice with the State of Michigan. We supply every training, safety course, and tools needed to enter the workforce after successful completion of the Project.
We will provide:
Classroom training: OSHA 10 safety training and certification; job site bidding; Quickbooks for bookkeeping; material ordering; one year of algebra if needed
Safety protective wear: hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, boots, shirts
Basic hand tools of the trade
On the job training
Licensed apprentice with the State of Michigan
Mental and practical tools needed to attract potential employers
Verification of all hours worked and provide employer progress reports
Our candidates will not only have the on the job training, classroom training, and safety training, but will have the mental and practical tools needed to attract potential employers.
Our disabled Veterans will provide unique benefits to potential employers, as well as Project Springboard, by being trained in job site bidding, Quickbooks for bookkeeping, material ordering, and onsite supervision.
Our goal is to be a cut above the rest and expect excellence in all of our candidates to show that with Springboard, future employers are gaining a disciplined and community-oriented employee ready, willing, and able for the task ahead.
Project Springboard is dedicated to training each individual to be a better employee for their potential employer after the program is successfully completed.
Electric City, Inc. is seeking local and state government, corporate and private partnerships and funding in the amount of $1,513,500 million to fund Veteran and Detroit resident on the job training while they are being educated, as well as curriculum, licensing fees, and supplies, in order to keep families safe from electrical fires, reduce property dollar losses and increase electrical safety awareness.
Electric City, Inc. implores Michigan electrical contractors to take a pledge to employ Michigan Veterans on their projects, and Electric City will subsidize wages so our Veterans will be guaranteed a living wage.
Regional Impact
With hundreds of eligible clients receiving lifesaving, major electrical renovations, the occurrence of electrical fire and property dollar loss will be greatly reduced in Wayne County. Through our partnerships with government and non-government organizations, many more civilians will be educated on electrical safety. Our apprentices will improve productivity and the bottom line while increasing employee retention and reducing turnover costs, and contribute invaluable learning and growth potential for employers and potential employees.
To be eligible for the Springboard Apprentice Program, applicant must:
- Be an honorably discharged Veteran
- Complete application
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Pass a drug screen
- Complete criminal background check
- Have reliable transportation
Springboard to Lighthouse Contact:
For more information or to support the Springboard Program project, please contact:
Melissa Rodriguez
Executive Director // Electric City, Inc
email: Melissa@ElectricCityInc.org
tel: 313-920-6468
visit: ElectricCityInc.org