From left: IBEW 1245 Assistant Business Manager Ralph Kenyon, Scholarship recipient Rodney Walker, Senior Assistant Business Manager Al Fortier, Scholarship recipient Jacob Crim, Senior Assistant Business Manager Bob Gerstle
IBEW 1245 is pleased to congratulate Jacob Crim and Rodney Walker, the two newest winners of IBEW 1245’s Jairus Ayeta Line School Scholarship*. Both will attend line school at the Northwest JATC Training Center (VOLTA) in Oregon this spring on an all-expenses-paid scholarship (which includes full tuition, fees, tools, lodging and meal stipend). The union’s goal is to have them working for 1245-represented employers shortly after completing the VOLTA program.
Rodney Walker is from Clovis and is the first Black recipient of an Ayeta Scholarship.
In his scholarship application essay on organized labor in America, he wrote:
The United States labor movement has been an indispensable advocate for workers’ rights. From the early days of industrialization to the complexities of the modern work environment, the movement has fought tirelessly for fairness and safety in the workplace. The movement’s history is a testament to the power of collective action. Although the movement faces new challenges in the contemporary world, its core mission remains the same: to unite workers in the pursuit of a more just and equitable working world.
“This is a life-changing opportunity. I am proud to be able to represent my community and Local 1245 in remembrance of Jairus Ayeta,” Walker said. “I know that, with this scholarship, I will be given all the tools and resources that I need to be successful in this trade. I plan on making the most of this amazing opportunity; learning as much as I can, working hard every day, and constantly improving to be the best that I can be. I know that this is just the beginning, but I’m determined and excited for the journey.”
Jacob Crim lives in Valley Springs and received a scholarship after applying three times.
In his essay on the value of unions, he wrote:
The Labor Movement completely changed how people live and work in America. It allows people to spend more time with family with work-free weekends, eight-hour work days and fair wages. It ensures worker safety with non-harming working conditions. It allows kids to be kids by not hiring any child under the age of 18. It allows those to be compensated when they do wish to work more with fair overtime pay. The Labor Movement changed not only the way Americans work, but how they live and enjoy their lives.
“I’m extremely grateful and excited to go to line school, as this is something I’ve been working towards for a couple years now,” said Crim. “I’m hoping to gain all of the necessary skills to begin my career as a lineman.”
*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, 2024. Additional details can be found here: https://ibew1245.com/scholarships/