In a classroom full of motors and switches, Dan Hendricks is going over what goes into a three-to-five-year electrical apprenticeship.
“This is towards the end of their apprenticeship, where they would learn motor control, different switching systems, things of that nature,” he says, showing me a piece of machinery. “So as they progress, right, the work gets more interesting.” He flicks a switch and triggers a sharp buzzing noise.
Hendricks is the training director at the Denver Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Center (DJEATC), which trains future union electricians in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
As he walks me through the facility, Hendricks helps me get a little hands-on experience. He shows me a machine that bends metal conduits for wires in commercial buildings. Measuring out the distance from the conduit to the floor, he explains that we’re going to give it a three inch “kick,” or bend…