Veterans are valued in this local internship program

At the end of a typical day, electrician Chris Bornschein, 37, a Lindenhurst resident and Marine Corps veteran, is ready to relax.

“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,” Bornschein said.

Bornschein, a former sergeant, works a 40-hour work week at Big Ant Electric in Deer Park, LI, and also attends classes twice a week as part of a five-year apprenticeship program through the Construction Educational Benefit Fund. Fortunately, he can rely on his military abilities, such as the “ability to avoid overload”.

Apprenticeships are especially well-suited for veterans, said Paul Tropiano, 66, program supervisor at the Building Trades Educational Benefit Fund. The Air Force and National Guard veteran earned the rank of lieutenant colonel after nearly 38 years of military service.

“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 that you can be a candidate for other positions in the field – foreman, manager team, supervisor or even a licensed master electrician who can start their own company.”

Bornschein began the free internship in 2023 and upon graduation will receive a certificate of completion along with a credential for each safety course completed.

“This program checks a few boxes that are important to me — the opportunity for growth, the structure and the combination of on-the-job training with curriculum-based training,” Bornschein said. “They help make sure you’re ready for the next level before you get there.”

Another student, Bayside resident Dylan DeBrosse, 28, is an electrician at Interphase Electric Corp. in Lynbrook. The former top Air Force aviator uses his military skills and experience to thrive.
“In the military, we learned accountability and discipline,” DeBrosse said. “These are the skills that I have found most valuable for this field. My experience and training helps to take even the smallest tasks seriously – this discipline is essential when dealing with electricity, which, of course, can be particularly dangerous for those who are not focused. Skilled jobs are a good choice for veterans because we like to work with our hands and be active, rather than sitting in an office.”

Trade Construction Education Benefit Fund Apprenticeships are affiliated with Local Union 363. An employer enrolls them in the apprenticeship program with fees covered as part of union member benefits.

Paul Iaccarino, director of education at the 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 internship world as it developed because the U.S. military has the best ‘apprenticeship program’ there is,” said Iaccarino. “Internships provide veterans with an opportunity to lead their careers in a trade of skilled with a training model that they can easily understand and succeed. The concepts of on-the-job training, related instruction, leadership, and teamwork are core concepts of practice that came out of the military.”

The parallels between military service and electrical apprenticeships create a stable path leading to a potentially thriving civilian career. These roles look promising. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, the occupation is expected to grow 11% through 2033, faster than average.

Wages for a first-year intern start at $17.50 an hour and vary based on rank, type of work performed, where they work and the employer, according to Iaccarino.

Tropiano, who teaches safety courses and oversees apprenticeship and traveler enhancement programs, works with veterans to explain educational, job and internship options along with veterans’ benefits at the federal, state or city level. DeBrosse and Bornschein both found his instructions valuable.
“I was able to go to him with my questions and rely on his expertise to guide me,” Bornschein said. “He made me aware of the help available to veterans looking to attend school with their GI Bill benefits.”

DeBrosse also credits Tropiano’s guidance.

“The fact that Paul took a similar career path to me, starting in the military and ending up in the trades, I think he’s a good mentor to go to if I ever need guidance,” said DeBrosse, who has a strong. among veterans “We understand things and can talk to each other in ways that we can’t talk to people who never enlisted. It’s the same in trading. When you see a stranger in a hard hat, you feel like you have a common language and you can relate to each other in a really unique way.”

OTHER SOURCES

Practice in the USA
Powered by the US government, this resource includes a section for veterans to search for internships. They also organize events and contacts during Internship Week (17-23 November).

Learning readiness collective
This collective connects people with union practices in New York and includes the Edward J. Malloy Construction Skills Initiative, Non-Traditional Employment for Women, New York Helmets to Hardhats and Pathways to Practice.

New York Institute of Finishing Trades
Offers internships specifically for steel and bridge painters, polishers, metal polishers, drywall painters and tapers.