Spring Branch ISD Featured News

An innovative, award-winning program to train Spring Branch ISD students for careers as electricians hosted its third student commitment ceremony Sept. 16 at the district’s Guthrie Center. Guthrie supports many Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes and certification programs across SBISD.

Thirty-six juniors from all of the district’s high schools were joined by family members at the evening ceremony for the TRIO Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The new student cohort begins a two-year path toward possible full-time work as apprentice commercial electricians at Trio Electric.

The students will take classes at the Guthrie Center with master electricians and gain needed hours leading to a Houston Community College Level 1 Electrical Helper when they graduate from high school. Students participate in a paid internship after their junior year. They work with trained electricians across the city of Houston on commercial construction projects. 

The student apprentice program operates as a partnership between SBISD, Houston Community College (HCC) and TRIO Electric, a locally based electrical services contractor. It was born out of a search for real solutions to the shortage of skilled labor – including high-demand electricians. Although just three years old, the program is a popular student option in SBISD.

“This unique opportunity for students exists because TRIO Electric approached SBISD and HCC and said, ‘We have a shortage of skilled electricians. Is there anything we can do to address this problem?’ noted district CTE Director David Sablatura, Ed.D.

“The idea was that there may be students in SBISD who may be interested in a career as an electrician, or in the electrical field. As it turns out, they were absolutely correct, and we have more students than available slots in the program today,” Sablatura told the Guthrie Center gathering.

TRIO program students graduate with several enviable options. They can pursue work as a commercial electricians, with median annual salaries of $45,000 or more. They can also continue their career, or go to college, or may do both. 

In May, SBISD’s first graduate cohort of 37 students included 25 students eligible for employment, who all accepted positions with TRIO Electric.

Guadalupe Maldonado, a Northbrook High graduate, is one such May graduate. She now works at TRIO as an electric apprentice. “My future is full of optimism and options,” she said at the Guthrie ceremony.

Joining Guadalupe was Stratford High senior Jack Dorris, who told new students how he was conflicted about his future path until this past summer, when he got sweaty, dirty and tired laying electrical pipes underground during his paid summer internship. “I loved it every day!’ he told them. 

The Guthrie commitment ceremony included remarks from all partners. SBISD Superintendent Jennifer Blaine, Ed.D., said she was proud of all members involved in this partnership. One SBISD Trustee, Chris Gonzalez, congratulated new student apprentices for making an “incredibly powerful decision.”

“This will be hard and you will learn to work as a team. We will support you, but you took the first step. Congratulations!” she told students.

Norma Perez, Ed.D., a HCC vice chancellor and chief academic officer, noted that Houston currently has 9,000 job openings for electricians. The TRIO program has already earned national recognition, she said. The program will be given an expected exemplary program award by the National Council for Workforce Education during a San Antonio meeting in early October.

TRIO Electric’s president and CEO, Beau Pollock, guaranteed the juniors a good job that pays more than average high-school graduate hourly wages if they complete the two-year program. Student apprentices are taught at Guthrie by two TRIO master electricians, Edgar Anguilu and Kelli Brannan.       

“We all need to work, but never stop learning,” Pollock said. “You are all making commitments, and not just to your school or parents. You are making a real commitment to yourself, and I am looking forward to seeing you graduate.” 

The Guthrie ceremony concluded with student apprentices being issued safety work vests and hard hats. Classroom visits were held and refreshments served.

Also at the recent event, Texas Mutual Insurance representatives presented a special check valued at more than $51,000 to the partnership for personal protective equipment.