Sacramento Municipal Utility District has several workforce developments programs that help local residents like Uriah Harris, Samson Nguyen, and Miguel Vela enter union apprenticeships, building the skills they need to land in-demand trade jobs.
Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
January 6, 2025
minute read time
As an aspiring electrician, Samson Nguyen was eager to learn more about the trade and kickstart his career. But he struggled to find a comprehensive training program that would provide him with the knowledge he needed as a beginner in the trades.
That's when he discovered a six-week electrical pre-apprenticeship training collaboration between Northern California Construction Training (NCCT) and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). The course teaches students the basics of electrical work, providing an overview of tools, equipment, and materials that electricians use, in addition to discussions on renewable energy sources like solar, hydropower, and wind.
Samson graduated among the program's first cohort of students and took the skills he learned into an apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
"I had very little trade experience prior to joining the NCCT course. I barely knew how to use a hammer or power tools," said Nguyen. "The course really puts you ahead. I was a lot more confident in knowing how to use the right tools when I came into my apprenticeship."
Cities across the country are making commitments to transition to 100% clean energy. As a result, clean energy jobs are growing at more than twice the rate of job growth in the rest of the economy, according to the 2024 U.S. Energy & Employment Report. Workforce development programs and union apprenticeships are a critical piece of ensuring there’s a robust, qualified workforce to support the influx of clean energy investments
Launching Well-Paying Careers To Reach Life Milestones
Municipal Utility District's electrical infrastructure, launched his
career with a 16-week training program.
The training program that Nguyen participated in is one of several workforce development pipelines sponsored by SMUD. With a goal to reach zero carbon emissions in their power supply by 2030, SMUD is focused on training up a diverse and qualified workforce to meet the task.
"We're taking a comprehensive approach to workforce development, exemplified by programs like our Energy Career Pathways partnership with Grid Alternatives and our collaboration with the California Mobility Center," said Jose Bodipo-Memba, SMUD's chief diversity officer. "These initiatives aren't just about filling jobs—they're about creating equitable pathways to high-paying careers, particularly for underserved communities."
Many of SMUD's programs prepare students to enter union apprenticeships, where they can further refine their skills and find fulfilling, well-paying career opportunities. Bob Dean, business manager for IBEW Local 1245, partnered with SMUD on the 4-week Lineworker Training Scholarship program in early 2024. Dean says that programs like these open the door to new opportunities for the people in the community.
"These programs provide exposure to the work itself and prepare you to be able to be trained for the work," said Dean. "Jobs in the IBEW are high-quality, high-benefit jobs. They are life-changing: you can own a home, you can go on vacation, you can put your kids through school. To be able to offer these jobs to people in our own community is phenomenal."
Right out of high school, Miguel Vela launched his career with a 16-week program that introduced him to the trades and prepared him for a position with SMUD as a utility assistant. Through hands-on experience and valuable on-the-job mentorship, Vela grew his skills in the electrician trade and eventually decided to pursue a union apprenticeship with IBEW. Throughout the 4-year apprenticeship, Vela worked full time and attended night school once a week.
"These experiences gave me the building blocks to understand how the job is done," said Vela. "I learned how to work with a team, and my study habits improved throughout the apprenticeship."
Vela graduated from the program in December 2023 and now works as a high-voltage electrician journeyman in the Sacramento area, primarily working on grid maintenance.
“It's fulfilling to participate in a project from step one to the finish and contribute to SMUD's clean energy plan,” said Vela. “My parents are really proud. My cousin who just turned 18 is asking me about becoming an electrician.”
Vela is already seeing his career help him achieve major life goals.
"I'm planning to buy a house by next year," said Vela. "A lot of people in my family rent. So that would be a big milestone to actually own something of my own."
Preparing the Next Generation of the Clean Energy Workforce
The employment of electricians is projected to grow 11% from 2023 to 2033, faster than average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"I know the electrical industry is doing very good right now," said Uriah Harris, an IBEW electrician apprentice in northern California. "With that infrastructure bill passed by the Biden administration, construction is booming right now, and everybody is benefiting from it. I really like what I am doing."
The energy workforce is also younger than average, with 29% of workers below the age of 30. Harris is often one of the youngest workers at his job sites, having joined the IBEW union apprenticeship at 19.
Multiple training programs were key to preparing Harris for his apprenticeship. After high school, he entered a job corps program and became a trainee under the Home Builders Institute. The program covered everything from drywalling and carpentry to plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. But the most appealing to him was electrical work, which he said not only engaged his hands but his mind as well. While at the job corps program, he participated in SMUD and NCCT's 6-week electrical training that opened doors for him to secure the IBEW apprenticeship he started this year.
"I don't come from a lot of money; I've lived off of food stamps and government assistance," said Harris. "A big motivation is knowing that if I can come out on the other side of this program, I'll be able to change the direction of my future and my family."
SMUD and IBEW hope to see their partnership serve as a model for utility sector workforce development across California, with efforts like the Lineworker Training Scholarship program serving as a blueprint for success.
"IBEW and SMUD are both looking for quality men and women to do good work for their community, and the larger that pool of candidates to pull from is, the better we can be," said Dean. "If we can do proof of concept and show other people how this can work, then we can expand it statewide."
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