The story of La Porte is filled with unseen heroes passionate about their city. People who go beyond the expectations of their jobs to help their neighbors, in ways we rarely recognize. Eric Jackson works in a humble office on the outskirts of town, making sure the members of his Union are protected and that the citizens of his community have power.
Eric started his apprenticeship for IBEW Local 531 in 1999. His father worked with sheet metal, as did his father before him. His brother kept with the family trade but Eric decided to shop around.
“I don’t like getting cut,” he explained. “I saw that a lot with my dad, coming home, and that didn’t interest me.”
So Eric chose to be an electrician.
He spent 12 years in the field, working with his hands and building relationships with the other men in the Union. He has worked on steel mills, hospitals, and water treatment plants all throughout the county. Buildings we drive past every day owe their wiring to Local 531.
“It’s good to see facilities you’ve worked on and see they are still running. It makes you feel very proud.”
Some of these places have received electrical work from the IBEW without charge. Local 531 has helped Habitat for Humanity, Worthy Recovery, and Rebuilding Together groups in Lake and Porter county. Eric believes that they would be doing themselves an injustice if they did not strengthen towns where they can.
“It’s very gratifying to be able to go in and use the skills we learned, to help people. It’s nice to see our members step up and answer the call. If the community is thriving, we are.”
Eric was invited to work in the Local 531 office in 2011, as the Union Organizer. So he only gets to go out on the field for special projects like these, and for fundraisers. He is the Recording Secretary for the Local’s Brian J. Rust Scholarship Foundation, which gives college funds to the children of Union members.
“This is a great group of guys and gals,” said Eric. “They always step up. They’ve almost single-handedly funded the scholarship. It’s great to see that stay in the family.”
The Local 531 family has as much pride in Eric as he has in them. They’ve elected and appointed to him to many positions over the years: the Executive Board in 2005, Treasurer in 2009, and Trustee in Training in 2013. His current titles include Referral Agent and Assistant Business Manager.
An associate’s degree in Applied Science from Ivy Tech has given him insight along the way but it is the Local’s 5-year apprenticeship program that gave Eric the skills to be a Journeyman Electrician while keeping him connected to his community. The school only requires some of its building’s space so the rest is rented to nonprofits like Meals on Wheels, WIC, and a public television station. That kind of networking provides the Local with more opportunities to give to others.
QualifiedElectricians.com, a website that Eric sits the Board on, keeps Electricians and clients connected on a National level.
“Through our apprenticeships,” Eric explains, “we are always working with community projects. They get us into the community and into a positive light. We’re your neighbors.”
It is hard to believe that Eric ever dreamed of leaving La Porte. His senior year of high school he moved to Germany through an exchange student program and spent another year in Europe after he graduated.
“I wanted to get out, at the time. After going around and seeing what other countries offer, I realized La Porte is a really good community. A lot of good people live here. I like that I can go to the Barbershop and every other time I see someone I know.”
Except for his European travels, Eric has lived in La Porte his whole life. He and his wife are raising their children here. All of his goals revolve around his daughters and making their community a stronger one. Being an electrician has given his family the life they deserve. It has given our county the quality of life it deserves.
“It was the best thing I ever did.”