Electrical apprentices participate in hands-on project management training supported by scholarship funding.
United States, September 14, 2025
A U.S. Department of Labor–registered project management apprenticeship for the electrical construction industry has grown rapidly, enrolling more than 100 apprentices across 10+ cohorts. The program, operated with 60+ contractor partners in over 25 states, combines classroom instruction and on-the-job learning to prepare job-ready project managers for complex electrical projects. Scholarship support from the Wesco Cares workforce development initiative helped fund the first year and will continue as the program expands. A formal graduation will recognize graduates from the initial cohorts, with additional rolling graduations and employer engagement at industry events.
More than 100 apprentices in a national project management apprenticeship will move to the graduate stage next month, supported by a scholarship program rolled out this year. The apprenticeship is U.S. Department of Labor–registered and marks its one-year anniversary as it aims to change how electrical contractors recruit, train and retain project management talent.
The first formal graduation ceremonies are set to begin in October, when 20 apprentices from the program’s earliest cohorts complete their training. Additional cohorts have launched each month since the program began and graduations are held on a rolling schedule throughout the year.
Since launch, the apprenticeship has grown to include over 100 apprentices spread across more than 10 cohorts. The program is run in partnership with a network of more than 60 contractor partners operating across in excess of 25 states. Program organizers describe it as one of the larger and fastest-growing registered project management apprenticeships in the country.
A corporate scholarship fund established in 2024 is underwriting a significant portion of the apprentices’ tuition and training costs. The scholarship effort was created to strengthen workforce development as modern projects increase in scope, scale and complexity. Program backers expect the scholarship to continue through future apprenticeship cycles with the intent of helping to address ongoing labor shortages and to foster the next generation of business leaders in electrical construction.
The program combines classroom and on-the-job learning designed to produce job-ready project managers for the electrical construction industry. Monthly cohort launches keep enrollment steady, while partnering contractors provide placement and mentorship on live projects. The apprenticeship’s registration with the Department of Labor means it follows a standardized curriculum and credentialing pathway recognized across the industry.
Company executives will be attending an industry convention in Chicago in mid-September to discuss the partnership that supports the apprenticeship and to review progress made in the first year. The events will spotlight program outcomes and next steps for scaling training and recruitment efforts in support of contractors working on increasingly complex capital projects.
Separately, the company joined a Defense Department transition program in late 2023 to offer industry training opportunities to service members nearing separation. Those roles focus on supply chain, warehouse and operations functions and are intended to give transitioning service members civilian work experience while they remain on active duty. A veteran-focused employee group and a veteran family scholarship were also established as part of that effort.
The organization supporting the scholarship and apprenticeship operates globally with hundreds of sites and a multi-billion-dollar annual revenue footprint. It provides product distribution, supply chain services and project support to commercial, industrial and utility customers and employs roughly twenty thousand people. The company’s stated role in this context is to provide tools, training and services that support contractor success in project management.
This is a U.S. Department of Labor–registered apprenticeship designed to train project managers for the electrical construction industry through a mix of classroom instruction and on-the-job experience.
The program includes more than 100 apprentices across more than 10 cohorts, with new cohorts launched on a monthly cadence.
Graduations occur on a rolling basis throughout the year. The program’s first formal graduation event is scheduled in October, where 20 apprentices from the earliest cohorts will complete the program.
A corporate scholarship program launched in 2024 provides financial support to apprentices, helping cover training and related costs.
The apprenticeship is active in more than 25 states and involves over 60 contractor partners, making it broadly accessible to apprentices in multiple regions.
In late 2023, the same organization joined a Defense Department transition program to provide civilian work experience opportunities for service members, and it has also launched veteran-focused support resources.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship sponsor | Corporate scholarship program launched in 2024 |
| Apprentices expected to graduate next month | More than 100 |
| First formal graduation (October) | 20 apprentices from Cohorts 1 and 2 |
| Program age | One-year anniversary |
| DOL registration | U.S. Department of Labor–registered apprenticeship |
| Contractor partners | 60+ NECA contractors |
| Geographic reach | More than 25 states |
| Cohort count | 10+ cohorts; monthly launches |
| Graduation schedule | Rolling basis throughout the year |
| Related workforce efforts | Veteran transition program participation and veteran scholarships |
| Organization overview | Global distributor and services provider with ~20,000 employees and multi‑billion-dollar annual sales |
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