From Electrician Apprentice to Regional Superintendent: Trevor’s Apprenticeship Pathway Story

When Trevor walks onto a job site today, he does so as a Regional Superintendent for Houle Electric, overseeing major projects across the Lower Mainland, the Interior, and the North. But twenty years ago, he was a young apprentice with no idea where the electrical trade would lead him. That decision marked the beginning of an apprenticeship pathway he never expected to follow.

After high school, Trevor chased a baseball dream, playing competitively through college. By 2004, pursuing the sport further would have meant moving to the U.S., a path he wasn’t interested in taking at the time. He needed a new direction that offered stability and growth, and that’s when the electrical trade was brought to light.

Trevor’s father, a longtime IBEW member, told him about a new opportunity: the Electrical Joint Training Committee’s new Electrical Foundations program. Trevor applied and joined the second-ever cohort. Classes were held at the old BC Hydro yards in Surrey, far from the modern training centre the EJTC has today but filled with dedicated electricians who taught with patience and purpose.

After completing the 15-week program, he began his practicum at Houle Electric and never looked back.

Growing Through the Trade

Over the next several years, Trevor worked on large and technically complex projects. One milestone came early, running the Knight Street Bridge lighting upgrade, a project that earned a VRCA (Vancouver Regional Construction Association) Innovation Award. Later, leading the Emily Carr University campus build pushed him further as a supervisor. “It was the most architecturally complex project I’d worked on,” he says. “It was definitely a big milestone for me.”

A Natural Leader

Even as an apprentice, Trevor gravitated toward planning and organizing his work. As soon as opportunities for supervision came up, he accepted them. He continued adding to his credentials, earning his Red Seal, FSR (Field Safety Rep), and taking leadership and project management courses. Trevor rose steadily.

Giving Back

In 2021, Trevor joined the EJTC Board of Directors, a full-circle moment for one of the earliest ELTT graduates. He now hires Local 213 apprentices regularly for Houle and takes pride in helping shape training for the next generation.

Advice for New Apprentices

Trevor’s message is simple:

Be open-minded. Show up. Be reliable. Ask questions. Put in the work.

“There’s more opportunity now than ever before, especially in B.C. You can build an incredible career and life through this trade.”

Written by: Savannah Davis, ClearWater Communications Co.