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Highrise ElectricianWhen Hector Herrera first arrived in Canada, he knew just one word in English: OK. More than 15 years later, life is more than OK for this highrise electrician. He has overcome challenges and is living the life he dreamed of, earning the respect of union peers along the way. LINDA WHITE |
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 [ 2005-11-30 ] |
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"I have gotten to know a lot of people through my union. They are proud of me. They tell me they can't believe how well I have done as an immigrant. They know how hard it is to learn a second language and understand that I had to learn English, go to school and write exams in English and do job interviews in English."
Herrera is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353 Ontario. He emigrated from Argentina in 1989, where he had been working as an electronic technician.
"Those first few years in Canada were hard," he admits. "It took five years to learn the language and the culture."
His first job here was installing car radios. "I learned I could make a better life as an electrician and went to Humber College," Herrera says. "My experience as a technician helped me a lot.
"The systems are very different. In Canada, you plug a TV or dryer into a 110-volt or 120-volt line. In Argentina, you have 220 volts, like in Europe."
Herrera completed his Certificate of Qualification as a construction and maintenance electrician through the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. He later completed additional training through the union that qualifies him to work as a highrise electrician.
He's now working on a highrise nursing home. "There are different stages," he explains. "The first is the slab work. The second -- which we're doing now -- is power distribution, which means bringing power from the street to the building. The third stage is roughing in boxes and wires. The fourth stage is finishing, where we put in switches and plugs and lights. It's the best part of the job for me. It's lighter and cleaner and you have to test everything. Sometimes you have to trace the problems."
Safety is key. "We're trained every six months and we meet weekly to address any concerns we may have with safety," Herrera says.
"We take care not only of ourselves, but also other people, like carpenters."
Contractors hire Herrera through the union. "The union takes care of things like how much the contractor will pay me.
"Before I was a member, I was used and abused. When you become a union electrician, you become a well-respected person. It means you are the top of the line.
"The union makes me a better electrician," Herrera says proudly. "I have to do a lot of training. You are always upgrading yourself. That means you can earn a better salary.
"The customer is happy because they know you will do a good job. When we fix something, the customer knows it will be forever. My licence means I can protect your life. It's a big responsibility."
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PROFILE
Name: Hector Herrera
Occupation: High-rise electrician
Training: Humber College
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QUICK FACTS
A Certificate of Qualification states that workers have passed the provincial qualification exam that assesses their knowledge of their skilled trade.
To write the exam, applicants must prove they have experience in the trade, such as completion of an apprenticeship contract.
-- Information from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
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