Welcome to the NETCOM Training Committee website. We are part of Local 213 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Local 213 has approximately 5,000 members in British Columbia. Mission Our mission to ensure fairness and dignity in the workplace, a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. We give members the opportunity to obtain a higher standard of living, and enable members to participate in a democratic workplace and union. Newsletter Netcom newsletters are now available online here. If you would like to be notified of periodic news and updates, you can sign up for our free (privacy-protected) mailing list here. Committee History The I.B.E.W. Local 213 Joint Cable TV Training Committee was instrumental in the training of Apprentices and up-grading Journeypersons since it commenced in the early 1970's. An Apprenticeship Training Program was established within the Industry through the efforts and the co-operation between the Unionized Employers, Union Members and the Ministry of Labour. For twenty-five years the CATV I & CATV II Apprenticeship Programs gained wide recognition for producing competent certified Journeyperson CATV Technicians. The program was highly praised and in demand by Cable TV Industry throughout Canada and the United States for its high standards and quality of graduates Employers decided to implement their own in-house training on a need-to-know basis. This decision led to the dismantling of the CATV Joint Training Committee and consequently, to a lack of standardized training across the industry. At that point the I.B.E.W. began their own NETCOM training program, in conjunction with the contractors and with the blessing of the parent company. The I.B.E.W. Local 213 Netcom Training Committee believes standardized training is of the utmost importance to our industry and the future of two-way interactive cable/fibre technology, and was created to meet this training need. Courses have been offered to our members since the spring of 1997. These course modules were conducted at the BCIT Burnaby Campus, and were taught by qualified instructors. All passing students were issued BCIT certificates at the completion of each course. The commmittee received a very positive response from members who attended those courses, which supported our belief that we were on the right track. Over the past few years, a structural change in the workforce has occurred, not only with the parent company but also the contractor/owners, with the introduction of Technical Field Representatives (TFRs).