Established in 2016, the NETCO Leadership Excellence award honours an industry training professional for his/her role for the success and their outstanding contributions to apprenticeship training and continuing electrical training. An industry training professional is defined as an individual who is involved with or supports apprenticeship training and continuing electrical training by virtue of his/her organization who has assisted and promoted education. Recipients of the Leadership Excellence Award demonstrate inspirational leadership to others.

Eligibility Criteria

The award recipient will have made an outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of apprenticeship and continuing electrical training in Canada or the province or territory in which they work.

The recipient will have distinguished himself or herself through one or more of the following:

• Ongoing promotion of apprentices and journeypersons in the electrical industry;
• Leading and supporting the growth and development of the Red Seal electrical occupations;
• Innovator of programs that provide training development in the electrical industry.

Specifically, an individual has:

• Participated in activities that encourage, motivate and promote dedication and passion in an electrical skilled trade;
• Served as a role model for success of tradespersons; and
• Demonstrated qualities of outstanding leadership.

While trades certification is not a prerequisite for the award, special consideration will be given to holders or an Interprovincial Red Seal endorsement.

Previous award nominees and recipients are eligible for nomination in subsequent years. Based on the Selection Committee’s award criteria, the best candidate will be selected as the award recipient from all nominations received in any given year.

Selection Criteria

The award recipient must have demonstrated their outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of apprenticeship and continuing electrical training in Canada or the province or territory in which they work through one or more of the following:

• Demonstrated innovation in the development and implementation of apprenticeship training and continuing electrical training;
• Advanced apprenticeship training and continuing electrical training;
• Demonstrated his/her outstanding contribution to success in apprenticeship and continuing electrical training across Canada;
• Participated in activities that has inspired others; (ex. Offered techniques and/or unexpected time and energy to assist others with their success as an apprentice or journeyperson, community service, mentoring, trade promotion events).
• Demonstrated how his/her contribution to apprenticeship training and continued electrical training has directly benefited the electrical industry;
• Exemplified leadership in apprenticeship training and continuing electrical training.

Awards Ceremony

The Leadership Excellence Award is awarded nationally every year and the recipient of the award will be honoured by the NETCO Board of Directors at the National Training Conference.

Recipients of The Leadership Excellence Award

• 2021: Blair Mikkelsen, RSE, Training Director at International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 625 in Nova Scotia.
• 2020: Adrien Livingston, RSE, Executive Director, Western Joint Electrical Training Committee (IBEW Local 213 & Electrical Contractors Association of British Columbia)
• 2019: Chris Taran, RSE, Director of Apprenticeship and Training, Vice President (IBEW Local 2085)
• 2018: Kelly Kienleitner, RSE, Chief Instructor, Electrical Joint Training Committee (IBEW Local 213 & ECABC)
• 2017: Andre (Andy) Cleven, RSE, Training Director, Electrical Joint Training Committee (IBEW Local 213 & ECABC)
• 2017: Peter Olders, RSE, Training Coordinator, Ontario Electrical Industry Training Trust Fund (ECAO & IBEW-CCO)
• 2016: Raymond Matthews, RSE, Provincial Training Director, Electrical Industry Training Centres of Alberta (IBEW Local 424 & ECAA)
• 2016: Robert Nelson, RSE, Senior Electrical Consultant, CSA Group