“Growing up, my father was a tradesman (HVAC) who didn’t want my brothers and me working that life, so he never taught us to use tools or even basic handyman skills.

After graduating high school, I attended Fresno State University and quickly realized college was not for me. I bounced around jobs until I settled into the medical field, where I worked for 12 years in multiple specialties, from a medical assistant in endocrinology and pediatrics to a manager of an urgent care clinic. I attempted to advance my career by completing a two-year program to become an ultrasound technician. Unfortunately, I completed that program right as COVID-19 hit.

I didn’t know what the IBEW was until I talked to my brother-in-law, a journeyman wireman for Local 428. I decided I was much better suited to be an electrician.

When I applied to the IBEW apprenticeship, I was working as a medical assistant at a pediatric office where I’d been working for more than for 4 years. After a few months, I got an email saying: ‘We’re looking for unindentured apprentices to install batteries for a BESS project in Mojave with pay starting at $21 an hour. Please apply ASAP for calls being filled Monday.’

I immediately called my wife because I was uneasy giving up a career for something that had no guarantee of being permanent. She said, ‘At the end of the day, if it doesn’t work out, you have experience in the medical field — you’ll be able to find another job.’ I returned from lunch, gave my resignation and started as an unindentured apprentice four days later. I became an indentured apprentice that October, and I have just completed my fourth year of apprenticeship.

The first project I worked on was for Mortenson out in Mojave at one of the biggest solar and battery storage projects in the country. I was there for a little more than two years, performing various tasks from battery install to underground and wire pulling. I had the opportunity to learn medium-voltage splicing, which is still one of the most interesting things I have learned throughout my apprenticeship.

The IBEW has benefited me and my family in so many ways. I was never involved in events like I am now. I run both softball teams for our local, attend every union meeting, contribute and volunteer anywhere I can. One of my favorite local events is our annual car show and barbecue competition. Even though our barbecue judges don’t seem to have any tastebuds, it’s a great time to bond with brothers and family alike. We have a tight-knit group that gets together with our families to celebrate holidays and events. We’ve grown so close that my 7-year-old and 4-year-old boys call one of my journeymen their ‘Tio Rocky.’ Creating life-long bonds for myself and my family has been amazing.

We’re surrounded by so much political fighting and see so many negative stories on a daily basis. I want to show that the personal connections we make with one another outside of our jobs is one of the biggest positives about joining the IBEW.”