PART 1: A RETROSPECTIVE ON DEVELOPMENT, MILESTONES, AND IMPACT
Since its inception, the partnership between Long Beach City College (LBCC), Tony Demaria Electric, Inc. (TDE), and NETA has created a rare and impactful educational model for training high-voltage test technicians. Now entering its eighth academic year, the program continues to stand as a national example of how local institutions, accredited industry partners, and professional associations, as well as the individuals’ enthusiasm, dedication, and volunteering, can collaborate to address skilled labor shortages through a curriculum aligned with ANSI/NETA MTS, Standard for Maintenance Testing Specifications for Electrical Power Equipment and Systems.
This article provides a retrospective on the program’s development, key milestones, enrollment trends, graduate outcomes, and instructional challenges encountered and overcome along the way.
PROGRAM ORIGINS: BUILDING A CURRICULUM FROM THE GROUND UP
The concept for the LBCC High Voltage Test Technician (HVTT) program began taking shape in 2013. Recognizing a critical need for qualified electrical testing technicians, TDE approached LBCC with the idea of developing a curriculum that could feed directly into the workforce pipeline. From the start, the initiative was fueled by close collaboration between TDE and LBCC faculty, with guidance and curriculum frameworks provided by NETA.
As detailed in the Summer 2017 issue of NETA World, the program was designed to blend academic instruction with applied training and was the first of its kind to formally align its core courses with the ANSI/NETA ETT, Standard for Certification of Electrical Testing Technicians. After years of curriculum development, administrative vetting, working with the State of California Education Department, and industry review, the program officially launched the first NETA Electrical Power Testing Technician (EPTT) course for the Fall semester of 2018. This year is the 10th anniversary of the memorandum of understanding between LBCC and NETA for the NETA-developed Electrical Power Testing Technician (EPTT) Curriculum.
KEY MILESTONES IN PROGRAM EVOLUTION
Since launch, the program has continued to evolve, with new milestones shaping its identity and reach:
- 2018–2019. Two foundational EPTT courses launched, serving as a pilot for curriculum structure and instructional delivery.
- 2019. Enrollment doubled, as noted in the Fall 2019 edition of NETA World. Positive industry reception, student success stories, and strong faculty engagement contributed to this surge.
- 2020. The program faced its first major disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, instructors quickly pivoted to hybrid formats. Despite the challenges, continuity was maintained.
- 2023–2024. As presented at PowerTest 2024, the program enrolled its largest cohort to date. Vendor engagement grew substantially, with intellirent, Doble Engineering, Megger, and others offering direct classroom support, test equipment, and equipment demos.
From a curriculum standpoint, each course adheres to ANSI/NETA MTS, which serves as the primary instructional material and textbooks for all classes. The curriculum has been continuously refined to reflect real-world testing scenarios and include updated safety procedures, PPE use, and equipment operation.
ENROLLMENT TRENDS AND GRADUATE OUTCOMES
The program has seen consistent enrollment growth, fueled in part by industry demand, targeted outreach, and word-of-mouth. Initial cohorts ranged from 12–15 students per semester. Recent classes have grown to 20–24, with a higher retention rate than in earlier years.
Anecdotally, many graduates have secured employment within weeks of completing the program. While some have joined NETA Accredited Companies such as TDE, others have pursued roles at utilities, electrical contractors, and engineering firms. LBCC’s Career Services and the direct pipeline created by TDE and other employers have played a crucial role in this success.
The PowerTest 2024 presentation highlighted success stories, including graduates who progressed to NETA Level 2 certification within 18 months of employment—further evidence of the program’s impact.
INSTRUCTIONAL CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED
Despite the many successes, the program has also faced persistent instructional challenges:
- Pace and Scope. The ANSI/NETA standards provide a robust but dense foundation. Teaching complex concepts, like insulation resistance, power factor, and protection systems, to students without prior industry experience demands careful pacing and contextualization.
- Hands-On Limitations. Due to equipment cost and availability, replicating field testing conditions in the classroom has required creative solutions. This includes vendor partnerships for demo units.
- Instructor Support. Recruiting instructors with teaching ability and high-voltage field experience has been difficult, especially since all program courses take place on weekday evenings. Faculty continuity is essential for student engagement and curriculum fidelity.
Over time, the program addressed these issues by adopting a team-teaching approach, improving LMS support, integrating real test reports into assignments, and incorporating vendor-led demos into course modules. These adjustments have proven critical to student comprehension and engagement.
FROM CURRICULUM TO CAREER: A GROWING COMMUNITY
Beyond its academic structure, the program has fostered a growing community of alumni, employers, and instructors who continue to refine and support its direction. From Day 1, intellirent has been an LBCC program supporter, providing a variety of test equipment and instruments each semester at no charge, including round-trip shipping. The LBCC program remains the only program in the United States providing coursework directly aligned with the ANSI/NETA standards at the community college level.
The program now also plays a role in shaping national workforce training discussions. With the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2025 approval of NETA’s National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards, programs like LBCC’s are poised to serve as key local implementation partners.
WHAT’S NEXT? PART 2: LOOKING AHEAD
Part 2 of this article, to be released in the Summer 2026 edition of NETA WORLD, will examine what’s next for the LBCC High Voltage Test Technician Program, including:
- Potential strategies to integrate the new NETA apprenticeship model into LBCC’s structure
- Program replication opportunities
- Summary of lessons learned from the program adoption
- Deeper employer partnerships and mentorship models
- A forward-looking view of training, technology, and technician needs in the high-voltage testing space
- An interview with an LBCC High Voltage Test Technician program graduate who was hired by a NETA Accredited Company
REFERENCES
- Pasic, N. “NETA and LBCC Launch New Education Program for Electrical Testing Technicians,” NETA World, Summer 2017.
- Pasic, N. “NETA University Curriculum Update,” NETA WORLD, Winter 2018.
- Pasic, N. and Sheppard, R. “NETA EPTT Courses Gain Enrollment,” NETA WORLD, Fall 2019.
Neno Pasic is a NETA Accredited Representative and Tony Demaria Electric (TDE) Chief Information Officer. Neno has been working with TDE for over 24 years. He is the NETA Volunteer Engagement Committee Chair, a NETA Training Committee Member, a NETA Promotions and Marketing Committee Member, and an IEEE and NFPA Member. Neno earned a BS in computer information systems, business administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), along with project management and information technology management certificates from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He received the 2021 NETA Outstanding Achievement Award and the 2025 NETA Excellent Service Award.