The 39th Apprenticeship Program graduation ceremony was held May 6 at Florida State College of Jacksonville. Eighteen graduates and their families were honored for their four years of hard work and dedication.
Penelope Geismar, NEFBA Training Director, and Keith Ward, NEFBA training vice president and chairman of the Executive Apprentice Committee, co-hosted the evening. NEFBA Executive Officer Corey Deal opened the evening with the invocation and pledge of allegiance.
Among the special speakers were NEFBA President Daniel Blanchard, Ward, and Executive Committee members Steve Auld and Boyd Worsham, who delivered the commencement address. Worsham, vice president of construction support at Haskell, began his career as an apprentice with Haskell and knows well the opportunities that await the new graduates.
The graduates learned that the day had been designated NEFBA Apprenticeship Program Day in the City of Jacksonville by order of Mayor Alvin Brown. The proclamation acknowledges the role of the Northeast Florida Builders Association Apprenticeship Program in enhancing the quality of life in our community.
The proclamation states, in part, “The apprentice program of NEFBA contributes to the development and maintenance of a properly trained professional construction workforce, promoting excellence and professionalism in the construction trades thereby enhancing the quality of life in Northeast Florida.”
Another highlight of the evening was the announcement by Auld, vice president of Auld & White, that a new award had been created to honor the outstanding apprentice employer of the year.
The award was named the Carmel Morris Employer of the Year Award in recognition of the significant contribution of Carmel Morris, Allstate Electrical Contractors, to the program. Morris served as the first Apprentice Committee Chair in 1974, and he and Allstate have provided employment for apprentices and supported the program throughout the years. Allstate Electrical Contractors was the first recipient of the award.
A reception was held immediately following the ceremony for the graduates and their families. The families were delighted with the cake which was decorated with pictures of each graduate.
Congratulations to the 2014 NEFBA apprentice graduates.