Grandma Built That
Three Decades as an Electrician
"Do you want to turn it on?" You wouldn't think that a single question could change a person's
life, but for Jane Templin, this was the question and the moment that did. The year was 1975 and
Ms. Templin and her best friend's husband were recruited to help set up a school festival. They
built all the stands, hooked up the lights, the sound, and the motors. He worked safely and taught
her to do the same. When it came time to flip the switch, she turned her head to protect her face.
"And then I flipped the switch. I saw all the lights come on, the music. The motors started the
quacking duck thing, it was the biggest rush of my life. I was 27 years old and it was the greatest
thing that ever happened to me."
As she and her friend's husband dismantled the festival booths she talked about how much she loved working with her hands. "He said, 'If you really like it so much, I know your looking for work, why don't you become an electrician.'" Ms. Templin had never heard of apprenticeship but he explained the process. At that time, they were only taking applications every two years. The next time was a week away. "It was a blessing from God," says Ms. Templin.
Ms. Templin applied twice, and became an apprentice in 1976. Except for fourteen months with Local #18, Ms. Templin has worked with IBEW Local #11 in Los Angeles for the past 30 years. Those 30 years have seen Ms. Templin as a steward, a foreman and general foreman in industrial, commercial, and some residential work.
The road to that moment had not been easy. Ms. Templin had been working as an auditor in insurance when she found out she was making a third of what her male counterparts were making. When she questioned management, they told her that she was making good money, for a woman. Ms. Templin, remembering that moment says, "First I was hurt, then I was mad." But the decision to leave the insurance business was not her own. When she and her husband were expecting a child, and the pregnancy began to show, her job was terminated.
The mid-1970's were a time of economic recession. To help make ends meet, Ms. Templin started applying to government jobs where the pay scale was the same for men and women. She subbed at her son's school, worked as a meter reader, a dog catcher and a postal worker. "In the post office," she explained, "they would hire you for 89 days and then lay you off for a day so you couldn't join the union."
Thirty years later, Ms. Templin is on staff with IBEW Local #11 as a business agent. But her involvement with the union started at the very beginning of her career. She volunteered for the welfare committee helping others who were hurt, and assisting those who couldn't pay their dues. When Ms. Templin's husband was in an accident and crushed his lower back, she needed assistance as well. "I'd have people come up to me at meetings and say, 'Hey I heard about your husband, how's it going?' They'd shake my hand and leave a $20 bill in it. Sometimes $100." Remembering this moment still brings tears to her eyes. "The unexpected brotherhood, the feeling of family and the training. The ability to get as good as you wanted to get, and them assisting you...it was amazing."
Ms. Templin has taken full advantage of the assistance and opportunities offered in the trades.
Throughout her career, she took journeyman skill improvement classes. In the 80's she took classes on fiber optics, and was able to use those skills when the Olympics came to LA. While she worked, Ms. Templin taught the journeyman and apprentice classes and in 1996 she became a Senior Instructor of Apprenticeship training. Discussing the training and apprenticeship programs brings out the passion in her voice. "We stay cutting edge. What we sell is our training. We're into solar, we're into energy efficiency, automated building. We train that. That's why apprenticeship is so important."
Ms. Templin is especially aware of the Helmets to Hardhats apprentices and the benefit of military training in the trades. "The military is a great learning place. You understand that when there are people with experience. There's no gender, or age... there's rank." This understanding is crucial in the journeyman/apprentice relationship. You may have a wealth of life experienced and still be uneducated in the trade you are learning. Sometimes your boss is younger than you but you can't let your ego get the best of you. Ms. Templin says, "If you're an apprentice and their a journeyman, that's all you need to know."
Ms. Templin realizes the stresses for Helmets to Hardhats applicants who are veterans coming from war. She notes that many of the trades provide tutoring for initial testing and mentoring for apprentices. The mentoring helps new recruits understand the unwritten rules and culture of the industry. Some apprenticeship programs will waive the testing requirements for service men and women if they had a similar rating with the military.
As Outreach Director, Ms. Templin speaks at schools and community events to look for new apprentice applicants. She helps disseminate information on how to prepare for an apprenticeship, what the work is about, and how you apply. Whether she is at a PTA or a picnic, Jane Templin tells it like it is. An apprenticeship is hard work that includes on the job training coupled with classroom work. Jane Templin loves talking about being an electrician, but sometimes she misses getting up at 4 in the morning and working with her tools. "I love working with my hands. I love building things. I love driving my Grandkids around and they say, 'Grandma built that.'"
As she and her friend's husband dismantled the festival booths she talked about how much she loved working with her hands. "He said, 'If you really like it so much, I know your looking for work, why don't you become an electrician.'" Ms. Templin had never heard of apprenticeship but he explained the process. At that time, they were only taking applications every two years. The next time was a week away. "It was a blessing from God," says Ms. Templin.
Ms. Templin applied twice, and became an apprentice in 1976. Except for fourteen months with Local #18, Ms. Templin has worked with IBEW Local #11 in Los Angeles for the past 30 years. Those 30 years have seen Ms. Templin as a steward, a foreman and general foreman in industrial, commercial, and some residential work.
The road to that moment had not been easy. Ms. Templin had been working as an auditor in insurance when she found out she was making a third of what her male counterparts were making. When she questioned management, they told her that she was making good money, for a woman. Ms. Templin, remembering that moment says, "First I was hurt, then I was mad." But the decision to leave the insurance business was not her own. When she and her husband were expecting a child, and the pregnancy began to show, her job was terminated.
The mid-1970's were a time of economic recession. To help make ends meet, Ms. Templin started applying to government jobs where the pay scale was the same for men and women. She subbed at her son's school, worked as a meter reader, a dog catcher and a postal worker. "In the post office," she explained, "they would hire you for 89 days and then lay you off for a day so you couldn't join the union."
Thirty years later, Ms. Templin is on staff with IBEW Local #11 as a business agent. But her involvement with the union started at the very beginning of her career. She volunteered for the welfare committee helping others who were hurt, and assisting those who couldn't pay their dues. When Ms. Templin's husband was in an accident and crushed his lower back, she needed assistance as well. "I'd have people come up to me at meetings and say, 'Hey I heard about your husband, how's it going?' They'd shake my hand and leave a $20 bill in it. Sometimes $100." Remembering this moment still brings tears to her eyes. "The unexpected brotherhood, the feeling of family and the training. The ability to get as good as you wanted to get, and them assisting you...it was amazing."
Ms. Templin has taken full advantage of the assistance and opportunities offered in the trades.
Throughout her career, she took journeyman skill improvement classes. In the 80's she took classes on fiber optics, and was able to use those skills when the Olympics came to LA. While she worked, Ms. Templin taught the journeyman and apprentice classes and in 1996 she became a Senior Instructor of Apprenticeship training. Discussing the training and apprenticeship programs brings out the passion in her voice. "We stay cutting edge. What we sell is our training. We're into solar, we're into energy efficiency, automated building. We train that. That's why apprenticeship is so important."
Ms. Templin is especially aware of the Helmets to Hardhats apprentices and the benefit of military training in the trades. "The military is a great learning place. You understand that when there are people with experience. There's no gender, or age... there's rank." This understanding is crucial in the journeyman/apprentice relationship. You may have a wealth of life experienced and still be uneducated in the trade you are learning. Sometimes your boss is younger than you but you can't let your ego get the best of you. Ms. Templin says, "If you're an apprentice and their a journeyman, that's all you need to know."
Ms. Templin realizes the stresses for Helmets to Hardhats applicants who are veterans coming from war. She notes that many of the trades provide tutoring for initial testing and mentoring for apprentices. The mentoring helps new recruits understand the unwritten rules and culture of the industry. Some apprenticeship programs will waive the testing requirements for service men and women if they had a similar rating with the military.
As Outreach Director, Ms. Templin speaks at schools and community events to look for new apprentice applicants. She helps disseminate information on how to prepare for an apprenticeship, what the work is about, and how you apply. Whether she is at a PTA or a picnic, Jane Templin tells it like it is. An apprenticeship is hard work that includes on the job training coupled with classroom work. Jane Templin loves talking about being an electrician, but sometimes she misses getting up at 4 in the morning and working with her tools. "I love working with my hands. I love building things. I love driving my Grandkids around and they say, 'Grandma built that.'"
