JATC About Us

JATC About Us

 

 

The Minneapolis Electrical JATC is a non-profit organization jointly sponsored by Minneapolis Chapter of NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) and Local Union 292 IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers).

 

The Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) is made up of eight (8) members. Four (4) members represent management (contractors), and four (4) members represent labor (union members). Current committee members listed below:

 

IBEW Representatives

  • Steve Clatpatch (Business Manager)
  • Rodger Kretman (President)
  • Everett Pettiford (Business Agent)
  • Dan McConnell (Business Agent)

NECA Representatives 

  • Jeff Ohman (Chapter Manager)
  • Tim Holmberg (Vice President Hunt Electric)
  • Steve Stone (Vice President Parsons Electric)
  • Dale Beaumont (President Sterling Electric)

 

The Minneapolis JATC provides a skilled, knowledgeable, and capable workforce for the unionized electrical industry within the central Minnesota area. Our jurisdiction (see map) is: all of Hennepin, Carver, Scott, Wright, Benton, Stearns, Pope, Stevens, Big Stone, Swift, Kandiyohi, Meeker, McLeod, Chippewa, and Lac Qui Parle Counties; that part of Anoka County containing the cities of Andover, Anoka, Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids, Fridley, Hilltop, Ramsey, and Spring Lake Park; and that part of Sherburne County containing the townships of Haven, Palmer, Santiago, Clearlake and Becker.

 

The Minneapolis JATC built and operates a 40,000 square foot state of the art training center, built as a joint venture of the Minneapolis Chapter of NECA and Local Union 292 IBEW at no expense to the tax paying public. Training has always been emphasized by our industry leaders, so it is not surprising that they have chosen to build this training center as a foundation to strong labor and management relations.

 

The local began holding informal night school classes at Dunwoody Technical Institute in 1931. In 1945 it was requested by the contractors to look at a day school format due to all the overtime that was being worked at the time. JATC is formalized as the importance of apprenticeship training is recognized by the electrical industry. In 1946 day school classes start and apprentices are paid half a day's wages for attending classes. In 1949 it was decided to start apprentice rotations to different contractors in an effort to diversify training. Also it was required to start tracking hours worked by apprentices in various electrical installations. In 1954 day school classes go to 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and apprentices are still paid a half a day's wages for attending. In 1956 a Joint Industry Board was established to promote educational and promotional programs to benefit both the IBEW and NECA. On December 19,1968 the Minneapolis Electrical Workers Employee and Apprenticeship Training Fund was established. In 1969 a 10,000 square foot building was purchased at the edge of downtown in south Minneapolis to provide JATC training until June of 2002. On December 18, 1997 the Trust Fund was restated as the Minneapolis Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Trust Fund. In June of 2002 JATC moves to new 40,000 square foot training center in St. Michael, a growing suburb of Minneapolis.