A unique approach to electrical worker training that seamlessly blends online, classroom and hands-on experience is among the features of the latest edition of ElectricTV.net. A joint production of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), ElectricTV.net is the only web TV program dedicated to reporting the latest developments in the electrical construction and information systems industries.

The pioneering training program, the first of its kind in the United States, was developed by NECA-IBEW's National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) in partnership with Cengage Learning. Designed for outside line apprentices, the program offers a rich array of learning paths, from online studies -- with web-based interaction between students and instructors -- to classroom and application experiences conducted at NJATC's training centers. Distant students benefit by being able to complete coursework outside the classroom, allowing more time in the facility to be spent with hands-on lab work and direct instructor-led training.

Says Michael Callanan, Executive Director of the NJATC, "For more than 60 years, we've provided the highest quality training and apprenticeship programs for NECA and IBEW members. Today, we're meeting our students' diverse needs through the latest available technology. This new solution, combining web-based learning with traditional education materials, expands our ability to ensure our students are the best trained electrical workers."

Also on this edition of ElectricTV.net are a segment on how the movement toward creating a "smart grid" is maximizing efficiency in electrical transmission; a feature detailing how building owners and managers are boosting operations and lowering costs through computer-based automation; and a spotlight on how T5HO fluorescent lamps are significantly lowering energy use and costs in lighting high-bay buildings.