Over the year a common question we have gotten is why isn’t the IBEW LU 424 doing more with High Schools to teach young people about the skilled trades? The TEPF Program is one of the answers to that question. LU 424 is facing a pivotal moment in the skilled trades. With an aging workforce and increasing demand for construction and infrastructure, it’s critical that we inspire and prepare the next generation to pick up the tools. That’s why the partnership between IBEW Local 424 and The Educational Partnership Foundation (TEPF) is more than just a program—it’s a blueprint for Alberta’s future.
In 2019, the IBEW LU 424-ECAA Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JATC) and the staff of the Electrical Industry Training Centre of Alberta (EITCA) began implementing the TEPF Trades Careers program in Calgary. Since then, the initiative has expanded to both Calgary and Edmonton, reaching more high school students than ever before with hands-on, real-world experience in the electrical trade.
Through TEPF, students receive guided instruction from journeypersons, earn high school credits, and obtain industry-recognized safety certifications. Just as importantly, they gain firsthand exposure to the values and benefits of a union career: fair wages, pension security, healthcare benefits, and the backing of a brotherhood that advocates for their success.
IBEW Local 424 has played a direct role in this process by welcoming students into our training centres, helping them visualize a future in the trades that is both rewarding and respected. The Exploratory Electrical Trades stream, developed in collaboration with TEPF and school boards, shows students that this is not a fallback plan—it’s a high-opportunity, high-impact career path.
Programs like this are vital to diversifying and strengthening Alberta’s workforce. They reach students from all walks of life and provide a practical, accessible alternative to university debt or precarious work. More than that, they build confidence and community.
The partnership between IBEW 424 and TEPF proves that when education and organized labour work together, we can build not just careers—but a better Alberta.
