Inside Michiana’s Electrical Training and Apprenticeship

On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Joe Gambill, Training Director for the Michiana Electrical Training and Apprenticeship Program, shared insights into the region’s evolving electrical workforce. Located in South Bend, Ind. and affiliated with IBEW Local 153, Gambill discussed the organization’s growth, fueled by data center projects, which also required adaptations in training. 

Gambill began by discussing the surge in membership at IBEW Local 153, attributed to the massive data center construction projects across the Michiana area. Gambill noted that membership reached 1,200, spurred in part by a single large-scale data center. To meet increasing demands, the Local has relied on its own members and an influx of traveling journeymen. Gambill said the expansion is mirrored in the apprenticeship program’s numbers, which climbed from around 140 apprentices to 460 in just a few years, demonstrating the region’s need for skilled union electricians who can work on complex, high-volume projects.

Next, Gambill explained how the apprenticeship training has adjusted to the changing industry environment, prioritizing hands-on education and rapid project completion. With data centers on tight schedules and evolving technology, classroom training now emphasizes practical skills, and apprentices must be familiar with advanced tools and high-speed workflows. Additionally, Gambill noted the program transitioned to daytime learning and hired full-time staff to better serve apprentices, keeping pace with innovations such as AI and robot-driven tools on worksites.

Gambill concluded by reminding listeners that apprentices earn while they learn, can avoid burdensome college debt, and often graduate with both a journeyman license and an associate’s degree. The program’s success rate is high, drawing recruits from varied backgrounds, including former teachers and engineers seeking stable careers. Gambill urged parents and students to consider union trades not as a fallback, but as a smart, rewarding path to the middle class, emphasizing that these skills offer lifelong mobility and security in a rapidly changing economy.

For more from Gambill, listen to the full episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast above.