In the Media

In 2023, the IUEC hosted the Global Power Trade Unions (GPTU)’s annual conference in Vancouver, where around 40 international delegates discussed common concerns like safety, health, inequality, and the climate crisis. A notable guest, Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, emphasized the need to attract more individuals to skilled trades, given Canada’s worker shortage. The conference also delved into issues like licensing procedures, international collaboration on standards, and the role of unions in addressing labor shortages.

NEIEP hosts an educational fair in Arlington, Texas, attracting apprentices and experts alike, including IUEC Local 21 members. The apprenticeship program is nationally standardized and ensures all apprentices receive the same quality of education, regardless of location. “We have code courses, we talk about different safety issues and factors, how to keep you and your crew safe. If you want to be successful in this field, and I would say life, you have to continue to learn,” stated Lester White, NEIEP’s Department Head of Development.

IUEC Local 133 members working for TK Elevator explored NEIEP’s extensive educational offerings at the NEIEP fair, in Austin, Texas. Led by Lester White, Head of Development, the event showcased hands-on lab materials and provided a platform for exchange between apprentices, seasoned elevator constructors, and NEIEP’s subject matter experts. “All the lab work that you see in here today – we didn’t have that when I went through (the education program), so seeing the technology and the growth – it helps them out in the field so they can apply what they do in the field in the classroom, and vice-versa,” stated Pat Corker, IUEC Local 133 member.

NEIEP joins the National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) at SkillsUSA Techspo at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, where NEIEP actively educated and interacted with students, instructors, and industry experts, highlighting the exciting career prospects within the elevator industry. NEIEP’s involvement shows the organization’s commitment to advancing technical education and workforce development in the dynamic field of elevator construction. “As an industry, we want to ensure a workforce that is diverse and inclusive,” stated David Morgan, NEIEP Executive Director.

NEIEP joined The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC), the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF), and Helmets to Hardhats (H2H) to demonstrate the value that hands-on training and education opportunities play in the elevator industry. Lawmakers were on hand to hear about the classroom lessons, first-hand experiential learning, and online simulations that the NEIEP curriculum provides to elevator construction apprentices. “At NEIEP, it’s all about safety – safety, education, and training,” said Lester White, Head of Development at NEIEP.

NEIEP has partnered with Open LMS and adopted open-source eLearning software to better meet the organization’s technological needs and the demands of some 26,000 mechanics and apprentices. The technical nature of the training provided by NEIEP has led to increased demand for eLearning capabilities, and the partnership with Open LMS lets NEIEP meet these challenges. ”When you see how complex these systems are and how much work students have to do to understand them, it makes perfect sense that we would want to offer learners every option that we can,” stated NEIEP’s Writing and Development Coordinator, Emily Carter.

NEIEP lifts the standard in training in the elevator sector with the inauguration of their cutting-edge 98,000-square-foot Instructor Training Center in Warwick, RI. Situated minutes from T.F. Green Airport, the new facility replaces old methods of training, which often relied on rented conference rooms. “This building was built so that we can bring all of our training in-house. We bring instructors in from all around the country so that they can go back and train our apprentices. We do everything here,” stated Lester White, NEIEP’s Department Head of Development.

NEIEP Area Coordinator Kristi Savala, a seasoned mechanic and instructor, highlights the program’s focus on hands-on safety training and how it is essential to build a solid foundation of safe working practices from the very start – a distinct factor that sets NEIEP apart. “You’ve got to build that muscle memory. If they build safety into the muscle memory, and it builds habits every day, they’re not going to forget it. That’s going to save somebody’s life someday,” stated the NEIEP Area Coordinator.

NEIEP worked with MathWorks Consulting Services to develop a virtual training simulator to replace a 20-year-old physical lab. The virtual lab will enable NEIEP instructors to provide real-life, hands-on training in a digital environment. “We’ve been able to build all the components you’d find in a normal elevator, everything from relays to contactors, to motors, to hydraulic valves. The actual product we built simulates a 4-stop hydraulic elevator – it’s like being out in the field,” says Lester White, NEIEP Head of Development.