At the end of a typical day, electrician Chris Bornschein, 37, Lindenhurst resident and Marine Corps veteran, is ready to unwind.
“People tend to think I’m lazy because when I get home, I don’t want to do anything but relax, but for me, that’s the best way to manage it all,” said Bornschein
Bornschein, a former sergeant, works a 40-hour workweek at Big Ant Electric in Deer Park, LI, and additionally attends classes twice a week as part of a five-year apprenticeship program through Building Trades Educational Benefit Fund. Luckily, he can lean into his military skills, such as “the ability to avoid being overwhelmed.”
Apprenticeships in the trades are a particularly good fit for veterans, said Paul Tropiano, 66, program supervisor at Building Trades Educational Benefit Fund. The Air Force and National Guard veteran attained the rank of lieutenant colonel after military service of approximately 38 years.
“My teachers and I try to instill a strategy similar to what I was taught in the military,” Tropiano said. “Self-discipline, teamwork and goal setting allow you to focus on becoming a more responsible electrician and help you evolve so you can be a candidate for other positions in the field — foreman, team lead, superintendent or even a licensed master electrician who can start their own company.”
Bornschein started the free apprenticeship in 2023, and upon graduation, will receive a certificate of completion along with a credential for each safety course completed.
“This program checks several boxes that are important to me — growth opportunity, structure and the combination of on-the-job training with curriculum-based training,” said Bornschein. “They help ensure that you are ready for the next level before you get there.”
Fellow apprentice, Bayside resident Dylan DeBrosse, 28, is an electrician at Interphase Electric Corp. in Lynbrook. The former Air Force senior airman utilizes his military skills and experience to flourish.
“In the military, we learned accountability and discipline,” said DeBrosse. “It’s those skills that I’ve found most valuable for this field. My experience and training help with taking even the smallest tasks seriously — that discipline is crucial when dealing with electricity, which, goes without saying, can be especially dangerous for those who aren’t focused. The skilled trades are a good choice for veterans because we like to work with our hands and be active, rather than sit around in an office.”
The Building Trades Educational Benefit Fund apprenticeship is affiliated with Local Union 363. An employer puts them into the apprenticeship program with the fees covered as part of their union member benefits.
Paul Iaccarino, educational director at Building Trades Educational Benefit Fund, said veterans are valued in the program because they “already possess superior qualities and skills compared to other apprentices and they are more likely to succeed in apprenticeship programs.”
Plus, their boots-on-the-ground training prepares them well.
“Military personnel often became leaders in the apprenticeship world as it developed, because the US military has the best ‘apprenticeship program’ there is,” said Iaccarino. “Apprenticeships offer veterans an opportunity to lead their own careers into a skilled trade with a training model that they can easily understand and succeed in. The concepts of on-the-job training, related instruction, leadership and teamwork are core apprenticeship concepts that came out of the military.”
The parallels between military service and electrical apprenticeships create a viable path leading to a potentially thriving civilian career. These roles look promising. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, the profession is expected to grow by 11% through 2033, faster than average.
Wages for a first-year apprentice start at $17.50 an hour and vary based on rank, the type of work performed, where they work and the employer, according to Iaccarino.
Tropiano, who teaches safety courses and supervises the apprenticeship and journeyman upgrade programs, works with veterans to explain educational, job and apprenticeship options along with veteran benefits on federal, state or city levels. DeBrosse and Bornschein both discovered his valuable guidance.
“I’ve been able to come to him with my questions and lean on his expertise to guide me through,” said Bornschein. “He made me aware of the assistance in place for veterans looking to attend school with their GI Bill benefits.”
DeBrosse also values Tropiano’s guidance.
“The fact that Paul took a similar career path as me, starting in the military and ending up in the trades, I feel he is a good mentor to go to if I ever need guidance,” said DeBrosse, who taps into a strong bond among veterans. “We understand things and can speak to each other in ways that we can’t with people who never enlisted. It’s the same thing in the trades. When you see a stranger in a hard hat, you feel like you have some common ground and can relate to each other in a really unique way.”
OTHER RESOURCES
Apprenticeship USA
Powered by the US government, this resource includes a section for veterans to search for apprenticeships. They also run events and outreach during Apprenticeship Week (Nov. 17-23).
Apprenticeship Readiness Collective
This collective connects people to union apprenticeships in New York and includes the Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills, Nontraditional Employment for Women, New York Helmets to Hardhats and Pathways to Apprenticeship.
Finishing Trades Institute of New York
Offers apprenticeships specifically for structural steel and bridge painters, glaziers, metal polishers, painters and drywall tapers.
