– By Corinne Hayes, Workforce Development Coach and Electrical Training SME
When I joined NexTech Academy several years ago, I never would have imagined that partnering with others to create the Electrical curriculum for NexTech Academy would lead to such fulfilling “work.”
Why the quotation marks around “work”?
Because work is often associated with something difficult or laborious—an activity many people don’t look forward to. But the work I’m blessed to do every day allows me to live my purpose, fuel my passion, and support others as they transform our industry for the better, day in and day out.
But this article isn’t about me. It’s not even really NexTech’s Electrical curriculum. It’s about the relationships that have formed during the last five years that the Electrical curriculum has been helping students learn—relationships that have changed hearts and minds; relationships that have transformed lives and opened new doors.
Want some examples? Here are some of the Nexstar member companies who’ve had great success with NexTech:
McCormick Electrical Service
Recognized for their unwavering support and trust, McCormick Electrical has been working with NexTech Academy since the beginning!
Key Milestone: Enrolled first apprentice on May 1, 2020; student graduated November 9, 2021.
Long before I joined Nexstar to help develop the Electrical curriculum, there was Tom McCormick, owner of McCormick Electrical (ME) Services.
For years, ME had trained electricians in-house but always envisioned a standardized curriculum—one that could take someone with no electrical experience and equip them with the skills to become a residential service electrician.
When Nexstar discussed creating such a program, Tom immediately shared his excitement and support, which led to an invitation to join the steering committee (or, as he calls it, an “eat an elephant party”). He says, “As a group of contractors, we came together to outline essential apprentice training for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical trades, filling the walls with ideas that would shape the curriculum. While the delays in the Electrical program were frustrating, the hiring of Corinne was a game-changer—her passion was exactly what we needed to push the program forward.”
Tom’s commitment didn’t stop there. He was one of the first to enroll an apprentice in the electrical curriculum, and to date, the ME team has graduated five NexTech Academy service technicians, with three more apprentices currently working through the program.
One milestone I’m especially proud of is seeing Tom empower one of his most dedicated service technicians, Jason Mast, to take the lead in facilitating NexTech Academy. Jason caught on quickly, immediately sought ways to improve the program, and even taught me a thing or two about functionality in the LMS, or Learning Management System. (Thank you, my friend!)
Clover Electric
Recognized for their endurance: “I have not failed; I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” —Thomas Edison
Key Milestone: In June 2022, Clover Electric became the first to launch a cohort-based, instructor-led model for the electrical curriculum.
Clover Electric’s journey is a testament to commitment and dedication. From the earliest attempts to implement NexTech, the team—led by Mike Talty—embraced challenges, learned from setbacks, and invited me to their shop to develop a focused plan for making training a priority.
Clover was the first of my members to adopt a cohort learning model using the electrical curriculum, setting a standard for others to follow.
Even when the initial training team moved on, Mike’s commitment never wavered. With or without direct coaching calls, he and his team have consistently advanced electricians through the program since we began working together in the fall of 2021.
Over the past three years, they have graduated nine electricians from NexTech Academy’s electrical curriculum. Their perseverance has been truly inspiring, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
Keep Smiling Plumbing
Recognized for their intentional implementation, patience, and commitment to a new trade.
Key Milestone: First electrical student enrolled and making progress in our new Tech Builder experience!
Want to know what it takes to build lasting change? Just ask Keep Smiling Plumbing.
It all started in March 2022 with early conversations with Melvin Music, Owner, a chance meeting with Steve Guinn, Service Manager, at Service System training, and the privilege of working with Alexis Hummel Human Resources Lead, since April of 2023. From the beginning, Keep Smiling invested in the right person to lead training, laying the foundation for success.
Alexis has embraced coaching, member connections, and every opportunity NexTech has to offer. I celebrate her as a training leader who not only guided students through the plumbing curriculum but fully immersed herself in the content and process to build a strong team.
We were honored to celebrate Keep Smiling’s first plumbing graduate, Marvin, who completed the program in June 2024. Now, we eagerly await the next milestone—watching their first electrical student, Andrew, as he navigates our new Tech Builder experience!
Martella Electric
Recognized for their willingness to adapt and the discipline to see it through.
Key Milestone: One Super Meeting connection, 93 coach-to-member interactions between July 2023 and February 2025, and three Electrical Tech Builder graduates!
In-house training wasn’t new to Martella Electric, but managing an experience in a Learning Management System was. Fortunately, Andrew Martella Sr. was the right person for the job. He embraced new technology and remained disciplined throughout the process. Martella already had a system in place, but when their Nexstar business coach, Bill Weaver, pointed them in my direction shortly after they joined Nexstar, they fully committed.
Andrew Sr. tackled the learning curve with NexTech’s LMS, stayed engaged, and built a structured workflow—tracking progress, setting up accountability measures, and refining the process even when challenges arose.
A major milestone was onboarding Javier, which accelerated the program and inspired others. That dedication led to a moment worth celebrating—three Electrical Tech Builder graduates, honored in our Member Monday social media post on Feb. 17, 2025 .
Through countless conversations—ranging from training logistics to fun facts, family, and career goals—Martella Electric has demonstrated the persistence and passion that drive real change. It has been incredible to witness their growth, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!
Home Power Systems
Recognized for thinking outside the box!
Key Milestone: The Service and Panels curriculum solved a Power Advisor’s electrical knowledge gaps.
I’ve learned so much from every member I’ve worked with! One relationship that stands out is my work with Michael Wieboldt of Home Power Systems. Michael, a Master Electrician, and his brother, Jim, reached out during a time of transition for both their business and themselves. Despite everything already on Michael’s plate, he remained engaged and committed to seeing through the initial implementation of NexTech.
I am especially grateful for Michael’s willingness to explore content options and partner with me to think outside the box. Home Power Systems made the decision to leverage NexTech Select’s Electrical Service and Panels curriculum to train a particular employee, Sam, on the key electrical considerations for offering generator installation options. While Sam had experience as a generator mechanic, Michael’s goal was to develop him into a Power Advisor—someone who could provide backup power solutions to their customer base.
Sam later described his pilot experience in NexTech Select as a success. The content answered questions he didn’t even know to ask, and he gave special recognition to the course on load calculations. And while Sam eventually moved on from Home Power Systems, Michael’s assessment experience and feedback helped us improve the process for others. He committed to going through the content, asked insightful questions, posted comments, and contributed valuable suggestions that enhanced the quality of the material. Plus, we learned that the Electrical Service and Panels Select curriculum is an excellent resource for a generator mechanic looking to transition into sales or gain a deeper understanding of key electrical components!
As we celebrate five years of NexTech Academy’s Electrical curriculum, it’s clear that this journey has been about more than just coursework—it’s been about people, perseverance, and progress. The stories shared here highlight the dedication of our members who believed in the vision, adapted to challenges, and committed to building a stronger future for our trade. Their trust, innovation, and willingness to push boundaries have shaped NexTech Academy into what it is today. To every instructor, apprentice, technician, and leader who has contributed—thank you. The past five years have been remarkable, and I’m excited to see what we accomplish together in the years to come!
