British Columbia electricians will have new access to North America’s leading training program in advanced lighting controls under agreements between EJTC Enterprises (E2 Inc.) and the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) and Okanagan College.
Properly installed and maintained, advanced lighting controls such as occupancy sensors have reduced energy costs related to lighting by 25 per cent or more for commercial, industrial and institutional users. However, a shortage of qualified installers has created uncertainty in the construction market and slowed the spread of this technology.
In 2014, BC Hydro formed a working group to bring the National Advanced Lighting Controls Training Program (NALCTP) to Canada. NALCTP had been launched in California four years earlier by a consortium of major utilities, electrical manufacturers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and California community colleges. The program trains qualified electricians in the planning, installation and operation of advanced lighting controls systems.
Through the working group process and contacts in California, E2 Inc. became the primary license holder of NALCTP in Canada, and led the adaptation of the program to the Canadian electrical code. E2 Inc. is a training partnership between the Electrical Contractors Association of BC and IBEW Local 213.
Under the agreement, E2 Inc. will provide “train the trainer” services to instructors from BCIT and Okanagan College, and will certify successful candidates as NALCTP trainers.
The colleges will provide training to qualified electricians – that is, electricians who hold a provincial or territorial Certificate of Qualification – under license to E2 Inc.
Training at Okanagan College will take place in the Electrical Trades Department, a part of the college’s Trades and Apprenticeship Centre.
“This partnership will provide a valuable opportunity for our local electricians and for the many sectors who rely on these skilled workers,” added Steve Moores, Dean of Trades & Apprenticeship at Okanagan College. “We have a long history of providing innovative trades training in our region and are committed to supporting a stronger and more adaptable skilled trades sector.”
BCIT will offer NALCTP through its School of Construction and the Environment, which currently provides a range of courses related to energy management and sustainable energy use.
“NALCTP training delivers an important skill to B.C. electricians, and it supports industries and organizations in reducing energy use and costs. BCIT and Okanagan College provided value to this project from the start,” said Phil Davis, Operations Manager, E2 Inc. “These new agreements will open the way for all of us to move forward on a great opportunity.”
