Ayeta Scholarship Committee members together with the Ayeta Scholarship winners (in green, from left): Brad Diaz and Adam Hooe
IBEW 1245 is proud to announce the two latest winners of the Jairus Ayeta Line School Scholarship, Adam Hooe and Brad Diaz. Hooe and Diaz will attend line school at the Northwest JATC Training Center (VOLTA) located in Oregon this Spring. The scholarship includes full tuition, fees, tools, lodging and $60 per day for meals. The union’s goal is to have them working for 1245-represented employers shortly thereafter.
Adam Hooe, who resides in Mariposa, works as a firefighter/EMT who has a strong passion for working outside and making in a difference in the community. Hooe applied for the scholarship twice and was selected on the second attempt. His essay focused on the electric utility industry and his desire to become a first-generation lineman.
Linemen are heroes that will never get the credit they deserve. They spend countless hours away from home and loved ones to help keep the lights on for strangers. They often go into places that have been wiped out from natural disasters to help build the civilization back, it takes a special kind of human to want to be a lineman… I am not afraid of long hours, hard work, and getting dirty. I strive for the bonds that the union has, the brotherhood, is not just part of the name, but is a lifestyle and they truly are family. No matter how long it takes, I’ll eventually hold the honor of being part of the brotherhood.
“Being a lineman has always been my career goal, but plans don’t always go the way you’ve envisioned. Line school was becoming more of a dream than a reality. But when I got the call, my dream now had a chance to come true,” said Hooe when he learned he’d won the all-expenses-paid scholarship to line school. “The Ayeta Scholarship has given me the chance to pursue my dream and with the support of IBEW 1245, it’s given me a great foundation to embark on my journey in this career. I hope to make the Ayeta family, IBEW 1245, and my family proud.”
Brad Diaz, who resides in San Leandro, currently works in the Sound and Communications trade. In his scholarship essay, Diaz focused on the labor movement and the importance of skilled utility workers.
There is no doubt that labor unions are the reason why so many improvements have been made since the founding of the first IBEW labor union in the late 1800s, when workers were making almost nothing while risking their lives in dangerous working conditions. Now, in 2022, union workers earn livable wages and have safer working conditions. By continuing to support unions and the essential relationship between the labor movement and utility workers, we are supporting the development of our cities, while also supporting utility workers’ dreams and families.
“I’m really thankful and beyond excited for this opportunity. I keep replaying in my head the day that I got the call and I still can’t believe it’s a reality,” said Diaz. “It’s an honor to represent IBEW 1245 and Jairus Ayeta at VOLTA. This scholarship changed mine and my family’s life forever and I look forward to starting this lifelong career and continue Jairus’ legacy.”
On March 3, Diaz and Hooe visited the CalNev JATC in Woodland, where they received one-on-one instruction with their new tools and climbed their first 40’ pole. On March 5, they attended VOLTA in Oregon for their orientation.
Brad Diaz
Adam Hooe
Established in 2020, the Jairus Ayeta scholarship is named in honor of an IBEW 1245 apprentice who was the victim of a fatal workplace tragedy on August 4, 2018 while restoring power at the Carr Fire outside Redding, California. IBEW 1245 will begin accepting applications for the next Jairus Ayeta line school scholarship March 1 – 31, 2023. Additional details can be found here: https://ibew1245.com/scholarships/