One of the many challenges facing associations today is retaining members and recruiting new members. It comes as no surprise that the future survival of any membership association is dependent on the next generation of professionals. In particular, the focus must be on attracting and recruiting students.
Starting out as an apprentice electrician, belonging to an association was not a consideration or option for me for several reasons, which I’m sure for many students is similar. I didn’t have additional money to pay for membership dues, didn’t understand the value or benefits of joining an association, and how it could enhance my career by providing a better understanding of the electrical industry, the electrical code, and networking opportunities.
As I mentioned in my opening statement, students and apprentices will become the future leaders and members of IAEI. So, what is IAEI doing to secure our future for the years to come? Well, I have exciting news! IAEI is embarking on a student membership campaign that will be rolling out over the next several months.
We are going to be reaching out to trade schools, apprenticeship schools, universities, and community college students enrolled in the electrical discipline by using social media, mail campaigns, and asking our industry partners and members to assist in promoting and encouraging students to join.
More exciting news! Knowing that it could be a financial burden to join, we are offering membership at NO COST to any student enrolled in a school or an apprenticeship program in the electrical discipline. We view this as a win-win for IAEI, students, and our industry partners.
Let’s talk about some of the benefits students can expect by joining.
- Learning from the electrical experts through direct contact at local chapter and division meetings.
- Receiving education on national codes, local requirements, inspection policies and practices.
- Ability to have access to technical information not usually available in classrooms.
- Networking with industry professionals, including contractors, inspectors, manufacturers, certification agency officials, and code-making panel representatives.
- One-on-one technical advice with subject matter experts which can include those directly involved in the development of the electrical safety standards.
- An electronic copy of the IAEI technical magazine and online resources through our mobile app.
- Discount on IAEI publications, training seminars, and various other IAEI materials.
Stay tuned as we roll out this program over the next several weeks. My request to you is to contact a student today and offer them membership in IAEI. Our future success depends on the next generation of electrical professionals.
