The NIETC celebrated 172 apprentice graduates during a combined 2020 & 2021 event held on Friday May 21st at the Training Center.
After having to cancel our in-person event in 2020 and delaying the same for 2021, the NIETC Committee and staff hosted a family tour event at the Training Center. The graduates were invited to attend with their family member or guest to tour the training facility while demonstrating a few learned skills and sharing experiences with their guests and classmates.
The tour was filled with instructor-led events such as a timed KO toss, bending a precise offset with only a bender, math quizzes and code puzzles, a fished wire tape toss and mini golf with hand benders. The event concluded with recorded congratulatory speeches by Business Manager Garth Bachman and Tim Gauthier of Oregon-Columbia NECA, a photo review of fellow grads, yearbook signing and photo opportunity for the graduate and their guest. The grads all received a commemorative backpack filled with gifts from Milwaukee, Platt, Coast and Klein. Top graduate awards were presented to Dillin Morentin, Benjamin Peters, Douglas Lockwood, Matthew Cole, Stephen Lanning, and Juan Valdivia Meza. The Southwire Top Gun Award went to Emily Fera for overall awesomeness.
Graduates were then able to relax in the impromptu “Beer Garden” for drinks and snacks and plenty of fellowship. Event scores were later calculated and awards are being sent to those lucky code gurus and sporting tool handlers.
Although a formal graduation was infeasible with social distancing and current gathering orders in place, the graduates certainly enjoyed a final walk through their school with little on their minds besides enjoying the moment and reflecting on the experiences the location provided.
Congratulations to the 2020/2021 NIETC graduates! The ability to overcome such adversity while remaining focused on their careers is surely noteworthy. We hope to see all of them on job sites and in CEU classes for many years to come.
