Thomas & Betts (T&B), Memphis, Tenn., donated $50,000 to the Memphis Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), to be paid over the next 10 years. The Memphis Electrical JATC is a five-year apprenticeship program that has provided both classroom and on-the-job training over the last 70 years for apprentices pursuing a career in the electrical industry. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 474 and the Memphis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) comprise a joint sponsorship of the Memphis Electrical JATC.
T&B’s commitment will go towards the development of classrooms and laboratories in the Memphis Electrical JATC’s new 20,000-square-foot facility, located on Shelby Oaks Drive. “T&B values its community and close partnership with the Memphis Electrical JATC,” David Kendall, industry affairs director at T&B, said in a press release. “We understand the value the apprenticeship program provides, and truly hope that our donation can go towards enriching the students’ classroom and laboratory experience.”