June 15, 2021
Jean-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
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- Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I — Instalment 43
What’s Your Breaking Point?
If you’ve ever learned how to ride a bike, a surfboard or even tried your hand at yoga– you know how difficult it can be to find balance. You can focus on a fixed point in the distance and shift your weight around all you want. But at the end of the day, there are often things out of your personal control that can send you tumbling.
We’re all experiencing what it feels like to be thrown off our balance right now with looming economic uncertainty. If this uncertainty has already impacted your business, you’re not alone. How can your business continue to thrive in the face of challenges out of your control?
2021 Canadian Electrical Code Overview of Changes
CSA C22.1:21, Canadian Electrical Code, Part I contains many updates and changes that are potentially significant to electrical professionals. This online, self-guided course provides the key changes and impacts to the industry presented in an easy-to-follow format.
Designed for professionals with a good working knowledge of the Code and who solely need the key changes including general updates or those made for clarification, safety, and new products and systems. Key changes due to Rule relocation or deletion are also noted.
This course may help save valuable time to help keep electrical projects safe and in compliance. This training is developed with input from a broad cross-section of electrical industry experts and with cooperation from all provinces, territories and several key jurisdictions across Canada.
Changing Scene
Minister Vandal Announces a $15.5-Million Investment in the Yukon's Largest Solar Project
Communities across the North and Arctic are prioritizing cleaner, more reliable energy sources, as they continue to feel the impacts of climate change. By investing in renewable energy initiatives that support energy independence and economic development, we can keep our air cleaner and build resilient, healthy communities for everyone to call home, all while creating good-paying, sustainable jobs and lowering harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Yukon is leading the country in its pursuit of cleaner energy and climate change initiatives.
Linde Inaugurates World's First Hydrogen Refueling System for Passenger Trains
Linde announced it has inaugurated the world's first hydrogen refueling system for passenger trains in Bremervörde, Germany.
Linde’s hydrogen refueling system, which it built, owns and operates, will refuel 14 hydrogen-powered passenger trains, enabling each train to run for 1,000 km emission-free on a single refueling. It has a total capacity of around 1,600 kg of hydrogen per day, making it one of the largest hydrogen refueling systems ever built. Linde’s future-ready hydrogen refueling system has been designed and constructed with the ability to integrate future on-site green hydrogen generation. The new hydrogen trains will replace existing diesel-powered trains.
Chris Lane of Johnson Controls Named to the CABA Board of Directors
The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Lane of Johnson Controls to the CABA Board of Directors. As Director of Product Management for Building Automation System (BAS) products at Johnson Controls, Lane leads a team of product managers responsible for designing the strategy and direction for Johnson Controls’ global portfolio of BAS products.
"I’m honored to have the opportunity to join CABA’s board and support their vision to empower connectivity among people, spaces and technology,” said Lane.
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.
HellermannTyton Double Slit Conduit Protects Pre-Terminated Cable Runs
HellermannTyton announces HelaGuard Double-Slit Corrugated Conduit. The two-piece solution features one semi-circular tube that snaps over another to envelop a wire or cable bundle. This makes it possible to add flexible corrugated protection to wiring that is already connected on both ends.
Standard conduit requires installers to guide cabling into and through the length of tubing. That is less of an issue at the time of manufacture. But if the ends of the wire are soldered to a terminal or otherwise inaccessible, non-slit conduit – and even single-slit conduit – can be tedious or impossible to apply.
Greenlee Mobile Bending Table Designed for Ergonomics and Anti-Theft
By Blake Marchand
For the new Bending Table for Greenlee® 881 Series Benders, Greenlee Tools, Inc. set out to improve ergonomics and product security. Previously, contractors usually had to disassemble their bender unit for relocation off the jobsite due to it being harder to secure on the jobsite. New anti-theft features incorporated into the bending table product design allowed the cart and its accessories to be more fully locked.
This increases contractor productivity by helping reduce the need for tedious setup and tear down of the bender due to off-jobsite storage. Greenlee wanted to make the Mobile Bending Table as versatile as possible and intentionally designed it to fit through most 32” wide doors.
Product News
DCC-11 Electric Vehicle Energy Management System
DCC-11, manufactured by Thermolec, is an energy management system designed to allow the connection of an EV charger to the main feeder of a panel without affecting the load calculation.
HOW IT WORKS
- DCC does a real-time reading of the total power consumption of a home or condo electrical panel;
- It detects when the total power consumption of the main circuit breaker exceeds 80% and temporarily de-energizes the charger.
Klein Tools Launches Knee Pads Sleeves for Comfort, Protection and Agility
Klein Tools introduces Lightweight and Heavy Duty Knee Pad sleeves, both of which feature a compact design for all day comfort and protection.
- Lightweight and Heavy Duty Knee Pad Sleeves can be worn under or over pants for all day wear.
- Unique design keeps knee pads close to the body for a second-skin fit allowing for agility when working in tight spaces.
- Lightweight, breathable mesh back to keep you cool and comfortable.
- Elastic cuff with slip-resistant silicone helps knee pads stay in place.
Sponsored Content
Fire Protection for Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage Systems
Lithium-ion storage facilities contain high-energy batteries combined with highly flammable electrolytes. In addition, they are prone to quick ignition and explosion in a worst-case scenario. Such fires can have a significant financial impact on organizations. Rapid detection of electrolyte gas particles and extinguishing are the key to a successful fire protection concept. Since December 2019, Siemens has been offering a VdS-certified fire protection concept for stationary Li-ion battery storage systems.
Click HERE to learn more.
Peers & Profiles
How CSA Standards Can Have an Impact on Climate Change Through UN Sustainable Development Goals
By Blake Marchand
With many organizations, governments and policymakers finding it challenging to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) , CSA Group has developed a methodology for mapping CSA standards to UN Sustainability Goals (SDGs) aimed at demonstrating how organizations, governments and policymakers can use CSA standards as an effective tool in developing and implementing their SDG strategies. The methodology was developed as part of a research project initiated by CSA Group, completed in collaboration with University of Guelph, Niagara College and the Toronto Metropolitan University. To support the methodology, CSA Group also launched an interactive searchable database that allows standards users to quickly find out how and where CSA standards support specific UN SDG targets.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all UN member countries in 2015. The agenda includes 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals that aim to promote and provide strategies to improve health, education, inequality, and the economy while prioritizing climate change and the environment.
B.C. Electrical Code, 2021 Edition Comes into Effect October 1, 2022
Effective October 1, 2022 the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, 25th Edition, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations, Canadian Standards Association Standard C22.1-21 is adopted as the BC Electrical Code. All electrical work that is subject to the BC Electrical Code must be in compliance with the updated edition effective November, 30, 2022.
All code-related information bulletins and directives that have been issued to date remain in effect. All potentially impacted information bulletins and directives will be reviewed for consistency with the new code edition and revised if necessary.
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