When VM Electric partnered with WorkSource Montgomery and MCPS via the Work-Based Learning Youth Apprenticeship Program to sponsor a youth apprentice, owner Leonardo Mendes saw it as an investment in the future of the skilled trades. “It’s getting harder to find good starting-level talent,” he shared — and this program offered the chance to nurture new electricians from the ground up.
Rooted in his own family’s electrical legacy and the mentorship he received after immigrating from Brazil, Leonardo was eager to “mold new talent.” Apprentices work at real job sites rotating around Woodbridge, BWI, and Georgetown from Tuesday-Friday from 7-11 a.m., balancing school with the expectations of professional work — showing up on time, staying focused, and learning to take initiative. One standout moment: an apprentice at BWI corrected a directional signage install on their own, a detail Leonardo saw as true growth. “They paid attention to detail. They corrected themselves. That showed growth” he shared.
The VM Electric team has fully embraced the students, giving them real tasks and real responsibility. Their commitment — together with the support of WSM, MCPS, and IEC Chesapeake — is helping build a pipeline of skilled, confident young electricians. They’re getting experience you can’t teach in a classroom,” he said.
For VM Electric, it’s a way to strengthen the future workforce.
For the students, it’s a head start on a high-demand, high-paying career.
When employers open their doors, students open their futures.