Two major purposes of the IAEI is to promote the uniform understanding and application of the NEC and other electrical codes and to collect and disseminate information relative to the safe use of electricity. In trying to achieve these objectives or goals, the IAEI focuses on education for both its members and the electrical industry in general. This is a great challenge. The IAEI staff and other contributors work hard to develop and produce educational material of a quality that can be readily used as learning tools for self motivated people who learn well through their own study and for others who prefer the classroom setting. With every educational product developed, ongoing review of the material is made to see where improvements can be made to help users get more out of the material. Good education and the continual improvement of both knowledge and skills can have a positive effect on electrical safety. Knowledge and skill will not on their own make electrical installations better or the use of electrical systems safer. However, when a person has achieved those and works hard to properly apply them, the end result will be very beneficial.
IAEI sections, chapters, and divisions provide excellent opportunities for electrical training through the many conferences and training programs they conduct. These programs can complement the work done by the IAEI international office. In fact, some work closely with the IAEI international office in conducting either IO developed seminar programs or jointly developed educational programs. Coordinated joint effort involving chapters and the IO can work well in most cases and can be beneficial to IAEI members. Several chapters have effective education programs and, in addition to providing training, attract a number of new members. They do it through dedication to promoting good education and through well-organized and effectively run chapter programs. It takes strong and dedicated leaders in those chapters to do the job they do and they don’t hesitate to make the effort. All IAEI sections, chapters, and divisions working hard and achieving success are to be commended.
It is appropriate to single out one chapter that has consistently reached a high level of achievement. That chapter has shown support for the international office, used IAEI developed training materials, and has worked as a partner in promoting the IAEI education program. I doubt that anyone is surprised to learn that the Wisconsin Chapter has once again set the pace and provided a good example for other chapters. Wisconsin Chapter members have set their sights high for 1999. A number of seminars on the Analysis of the 1999 National Electrical Code® have been scheduled within the state of Wisconsin during the first part of 1999. As of the date of this writing, over 1,000 people have preregistered for those seminars. Those seminars will be conducted using the IAEI material and qualified chapter members will conduct the training. Chapter members have conducted training programs within the state of Wisconsin for several years in a row. Not many chapters can attract the number of people that the Wisconsin Chapter does, but the potential is there for reaching many people who need to get more involved and become more familiar with electrical safety.
