Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su unveiled the new interactive map this month to spotlight more than 2,400 high-road training programs to prepare America’s workers for good jobs in infrastructure, clean energy and manufacturing across every U.S. state and territory.

The map, according to a July 20 newsletter from the U.S. Department of Labor, will help employers, government agencies, union workers and others locate programs that advance job quality, equity and worker voice, as well as find where such programs are needed. The map has also been used in a campaign touting the benefits of Bidenomics.

Five programs are in Lake Charles. The electrician apprentice program has been in this area long before Biden took office. Steve Gaspard, training director, said it began in 1945.

“We answer to the Department of Labor, but it’s a totally nonprofit entity funded by the working members,” he said.

Gaspard explained how the program works for interested applicants.

“It’s an earn-as-you-learn program,” he said. “It’s designed to get you to work and make sure this is what you want to do. The student is responsible for their own books.”

Potential applicants can contact Gaspard to find out the documents needed to apply. One of those is a high school or college transcript with a credit in algebra.

The system ranks each applicant and Gaspard works with a group of contractors to place applicants in jobs. For example, the Port Wonder project includes students in the electrical apprentice program.

Apprentices without experience begin working for a contractor for $15.25 an hour, and that is about to go up to $15.90, according to Gaspard.

In addition to working during the day, apprentices must attend class two nights per week from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“It’s a four-year program, affiliated with and accredited through Sowela,” Gaspard said. When these working students graduate their diplomas will be in ‘Industrial Electrical.’ They will also get an international certificate from the Louisiana Workforce as a journeyman electrician.’”

Gaspard is accepting applications for fall. However, he takes applications year round. Forty-three apprentices enrolled last August.

According to the interactive map, Lake Charles also has apprentice programs in carpentry, HVAC, plumbing and pipefitting with links to sites providing phone numbers. See the map on the U.S. Department of Labor blog. Contact Gaspard by calling 337-433-7277.