The W.M. Keck Observatory offers a first-of-its-kind experience for budding electricians on the Big Island.
In collaboration with Hawaii Community College, Keck has launched a new apprenticeship program for kamaʻāina students who are pursuing their careers as licensed electricians. The three-year pilot program, developed by Keck Observatory’s Senior Electrical/Infrastructure Technician and graduate of HCC’s Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology program, Jerez Tehiro of Hilo, provides highly specialized technical training and business work experience for students enrolled in the college’s electrical program.
Tehiro, a graduate of the Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology program, came up with the idea after being inspired by the Kama’āina Communications Program, of which he is a member. The program is a leadership development initiative centered around Hawaiian values and cultural perspectives that supports the staff of the kamaʻāina Maunakea Observatories.
He has developed a vision and framework for apprenticeships to create more workforce development opportunities for the Hawaii Island community. It is difficult to meet the hours required for commercial and industrial electrical training for Big Island students due to the limited number of companies performing work on the Island.
“Living in Hawaii, on the Big Island in particular, we don’t have a lot of opportunities to gain electrical experience in commercial industrial facilities,” Tehiro said in a press release. “When I was making my way in the trade, I was struggling to figure out how to accomplish the required licensing hours. Fortunately, I was able to earn commercial industrial hours at the Hawaii County Traffic Department. But not everyone has that opportunity, so I wanted to create a career path.” Designed to give students an opportunity they may not get otherwise.
Hilo High School graduate Evan Ida, of Hilo, is the first HCC electrical student selected for the new apprenticeship and began working at the observatory in July of last year. He will accompany Tehiro for approximately 600 hours to develop a solid understanding of commercial and industrial electrical automation systems before he graduates this year. These hours will count toward the 10,000 electrical hours required to become a licensed electrician in Hawaii.
“The experience of working at the Keck Observatory is amazing,” Ida said in the press release. “I spent the summer working with a residential electrical company in Hilo, which was great, and I learned a lot. What I was learning at Keck allows me to move to a higher level. It’s a whole different ball game.”
With safety being the top priority, Ida received fall prevention and arc flash safety training before beginning on-site work at the Keck Telescope facility in Maunakea. Once he completes the required hours, Ida will also be eligible for program tuition reimbursement to cover his second year in HCC’s Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology program.
“This is an exciting apprenticeship,” HCC electrical instructor Patrick Pageau, who also works as an electrical contractor, said in the news release. “Over my 40+ year career, I have seen the industry change from using analog consoles to digital consoles to automating electromechanical systems. My electrician apprenticeship allows my students to learn the basic but important principles of using analog equipment at Hawaii Community College, and then advance their knowledge By working with the latest digital technologies at the Keck Observatory.
Pageau’s career has come full circle. In the early 1990s, he worked on building the Keck II telescope, installing the electrical control units. Three decades later, four of his former and current students work at the observatory: Ida, Tehiro, electrician/infrastructure technician Hamzah Al-Wair, and facilities maintenance and support technician Shawn Tapang.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity. It’s been so much more than I expected,” Ida said in the press release. “One of the things I really enjoy about working on the mountain is that everyone there at Keck is willing to share their knowledge and experience and help each other. “
“It is great to be part of a program where I can connect with others and guide them toward the right paths to help them succeed,” Tehiro said in the press release.
