June 15, 2021Jean-François Gravel, territory manager at Leviton and head of Electro-Federation Canada’s Young Professionals Network for the Quebec region, introduced me to Jérémy Dagenais-Castonguay, a counter clerk at Lumen in Joliette. While we are constantly hearing about the various challenges related to workforce renewal, it is interesting to hear the perspective of the next generation. We often say that in the electrical product distribution channel, the career possibilities are endless and often start with internal sales at the counter or warehouse. Here are reflections from Jérémy Dagenais-Castonguay.
— Line Goyette
Tonight, after finishing my day at work, I had a flashback ...
I thought of myself four to five years ago coming out of high school with no particular idea of what I wanted to do for a profession. After studying three years at CEGEP I realized that school was not my forte. Not that I wasn’t good, I was average. Simply, sitting on school benches did not make me any better.
Following the completion of my studies, I started working in the restaurant industry full time. I started at the age of 16 as a dishwasher, to be promoted to the kitchen, to be a server assistant, to finally be a waiter. Having always been a worker by nature, I pushed myself to work six days weeks with double shifts. I knew it wasn’t what I was going to do all my life, but hey ... My mentality was rather “As long as you are in school and do not really know which field to work in, you might as well make money.” I realized pretty quickly that I loved the industry. Besides, I think that catering is one of the best schools to train a worker.
Being a waiter helped me develop my social skills at work — having to show up at strangers’ tables and offer a service in the same way I would like to be served. I learned how to sell a product, whether it was the daily specials or a Cabernet Sauvignon $15 more expensive than it should be. That influenced my approach as a professional. By focusing on organization, I learned to manage 25 clients simultaneously, to communicate well with my colleagues, and to always offer the best of my skills. At one point, I asked myself, “What has made me like this?” Which made me realize that what motivated me the most was undoubtedly the customer contact. This experience has brought me a lot.
Meanwhile, I had a good friend who sometimes told me about his work at Lumen. Just like me, a worker who did not necessarily want to pursue higher education. After almost two years of working in the restaurant industry, I made the career leap to Lumen, an electrical distributor, which meant new challenges: I had never been a warehouse handler and the electrical field might as well have been Chinese for me. “Do you have a 30 amp, 240 switch?” Sorry, in French please?
A year has passed. I learned how to manage an entire warehouse. Orders for goods, shipping, receiving, replenishment, returns of goods and especially a little more about the products sold. By asking questions of my colleagues, suppliers, and electricians, I managed to expand my knowledge in the field from 0 to 1000% and I’m not done. Today, I am a clerk working the counter … when I got back to my car after work, I realized how lucky I was … Lucky to do a job in a field that I enjoy, accompanied by supportive people willing to help and encourage me to climb the ladder.
During my time in the restaurant industry, I rose through the ranks starting out as a dishwasher. I found in the electrical industry the same opportunity to climb the ladder, an environment where career opportunities are more promising in the long term and in an industry that makes a difference.
— Jérémy Dagenais-Castonguay
Changing Scene
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Vivi White Appointed to the Electrical Safety Authority Board of Directors
Vivi White has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) by the Honourable Ross Romano, Minister of Government and Consumer Services.
“As Chair, I am pleased that the Ontario Government recently appointed Vivi White to the Board,” said Annette Bergeron. “The Electrical Safety Authority’s efforts over the years have greatly improved the safety of the people of Ontario. It’s an important mandate and requires a strong, talented and diverse board as we transform into a modern regulator.”
OmniCable Joins ETIM North America
ETIM North America announced that OmniCable has joined the product classification standards organization. Headquartered in West Chester, PA, OmniCable has 24 locations throughout North America, and also owns Houston Wire & Cable (HWC). The company partners with many electrical manufacturers and only sells to distributors.
According to John Dean, Director of Marketing & E-Commerce, OmniCable/HWC, “The wire and cable industry is often called commodities, but there are very distinct features and attributes for the different products our manufacturers produce.
Canadian Electrical Contractor Discussion Group: Can You Count the Deficiencies?
Have you ever been called to fix the work of a 'handyman'?
"Was supposedly done by a"certified ' electrician....told the homeowner that he got a $266 permit....no record at TSBC. Can you count the deficiencies?"
"There is a second panel change in the triplex also.......even more deficiencies. Think the guy was a glorified handyman. Ones not obvious: 240 BB heat hooked up 120....drier on 2p20....range on 2p50....water heater fed with 2c14 Bx on 2p15."
Go HERE to join the discussion
Grimard is More Competitive and Produces Estimates 3X Faster with Procore
When the pandemic lockdowns started in March of 2020, Grimard (an electrical contractor) had to decide whether to shut down its operations entirely or implement a new platform with people who were now freely available for work. Once they implemented Procore, they found a way to efficiently communicate with stakeholders and offer full transparency in terms of project costs and planning. It also allowed Grimard to utilize historical data to make project estimates more accurate. Grimard was able to streamline its bidding process, which made it more attractive to potential clients and helped the business grow.
How to Diagnose Power Quality Issues and the Tools to Help Troubleshoot
Electrical distribution problems are not always immediately identified as issues with power quality. An example of this is a thermal-magnetic circuit breaker. When it trips, the indication is generally a short circuit, ground fault, or overload. At times this can be put down to an old breaker that needs replacing.
However, it’s important to investigate the types of loads on the system and monitor harmonics for a potential disturbance. This article explores common issues with power quality and how to troubleshoot those issues.
12/2 NMD90 75M Romex SIMpull Cable (Yellow) Recalled Due to Inaccurate Labelling
This recall involves a yellow electrical wire, 12/2 NMD90 75M Romex SIMpull cable, sold by the spool. Products were also sold at Home Depot designated as article 108196. Only cables with a time stamp between 12:41 and 18:02 are affected by this recall.
The recalled product contains a neutral wire that is a smaller 14-gauge wire, contrary to the stamp on the wire identifying both the neutral and “hot” wires as 12-gauge (i.e., "12/2").
The recalled product contains a 14-gauge neutral wire instead of 12-gauge (as labelled), thus it may not perform as expected in 12-gauge applications, resulting in a risk of those applications having impaired performance and/or compliance with safety codes or standards.
Go HERE for more information
SimplySnap: It Just Works.
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Scalable, field-proven, DLC NLC 5.0 qualified, and easy-to-install wireless network
lighting controls are in-stock. Explore energy code compliant SimplySnap
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Product News
Greenlee Introduces Mobile Bending Table for 881 Series Hydraulic Benders
Greenlee is bringing secure and easy-to-transport conduit bending capabilities to jobsites with the introduction of its Mobile Bending Table for 881 Series Hydraulic Benders. The new product combines the latest in anti-theft protection with enhanced mobility, easy set-up and quick teardown.
“Electricians are constantly trying to do work more efficiently. Anytime we can shave time off a job, it’s a win – and this product delivers that with easier set-up and portability. At the same time, we know that protecting equipment from theft is an issue for a lot of tradespeople. The new Greenlee Mobile Bending Table for the 881 Series Hydraulic Benders is our latest solution to help professionals safeguard their investments and increase productivity,”
Klein Tools Introduces Upgraded Version of Testing Kit
Klein Tools introduces the Premium Electrical Test Kit.
Premium Electrical Test Kit (Cat. No. 69355)
- Refreshed kit that features three new product releases geared towards a variety of electrical testing applications.
- Kit includes instructions and all required batteries.
Manual-Ranging Digital Multimeter with Right-Angle Test Leads (Cat. No. MM320 – Exclusive to Cat. No. 69355 and Cat. No. MM320KIT)
- Measures up to 600V AC/DC voltages, 10A DC current and 2-ohm resistance
- Also tests batteries, diodes and continuity.
Brady's M211 Portable Bluetooth Label Printer
Design, preview and print – all from your phone. Simple and intuitive, the M211 Label Printer is built for the job site, running all day on a full charge while resisting drops, shocks and crushes.
- Simple. Easy. Intuitive. Seamlessly design, preview and print labels from the industry leading Express Labels App on your familiar smartphone and swiftly connect to your printer.
- Label it once. Now with both pre-sized and continuous labels in 90+ cartridges, filled to the brim with reliable, tested and dedicated label materials that stay attached and remain legible on every surface and in any environment.
Peers & Profiles
Looking at Milwaukee Tool Cordless Technology with Brent Neilly: Safety, Innovation, and Productivity
By Blake Marchand
Brent Neilly is the Group Marketing Manager with Milwaukee, he has a background in business communications with a B.A. from Brock University, as well as experience working in the construction industry.
“When I joined TTI (Milwaukee’s parent company) it was kind of a perfect match, I had some marketing knowledge from my business degree and some industry experience from working in the trades.” Neilly gained his experience covering an area from Orillia to Timmins, Ontario when he first joined the company as a Field Sales Rep, as well as on their Job Site Core Trade Specialists in the GTA where he found his niche working with utility clients.