Faculty

Damion Krout

I am a first year instructor for the York Electrical Institute apprenticeship program and have been a proud member of IBEW Local 229 since 2001.  I worked for several electrical contractors as an apprentice and journeyman.  I completed my apprenticeship with IBEW Local 229 in 2001.    I continue my education with journeyman classes through the electrical training ALLIANCE and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

Courses: Constructing Your Future, Intro to Apprenticeship, and Electrical Job Information

Briar Smith

I am the first year instructor.  I also am a proud graduate of York Electrical Institute, class of 2022.  This is my second year teaching and I am very excited to get the year underway.  Although I am a new instructor I feel very confident in my ability to be a great teacher and also a good role model.

Courses: DC Theory, Code, Standards, and Practices, Codeology, Preparing for Leadership, and Fire Alarm

Joel Kauffman

I am the fourth-year instructor for the inside wireman apprenticeship. Born and raised in York County, I was accepted into Local 229 as an apprentice in 1999 and I completed the program in 2004. Since then I have worked as an inside wireman in several different roles, performing a wide variety of tasks. I completed the four-year National Training Institute instructor-training program in 2015. I have participated in JATC journeyman training courses in the subjects of OSHA 10, Foreman Training, Solar/Photovoltaic, Job Steward and NEC code changes. I also took classes in Fall Protection, Forklift Training, MSHA, NFPA70 and others. For the past three years, I have been an instructor with the JATC. From the time I was an apprentice, I was interested in teaching, so when the chance came along, I was grateful for the opportunity. This apprenticeship program puts out the best-trained electricians and electrical workers in the industry and I want to be a part of it.

Courses: Building Automation, Programmable Logic Controllers, Lighting Essentials, Motors, Motor Controls, AC Theory, Grounding & Bonding, Code Calculations, Blueprints

John Craig

I began teaching Structured Cabling in 2018. I began my career in the VDV trade in 2010 and progressed from an apprentice to a foreman rather quickly. I worked on many projects for the Communications division of IB Abel over the years. I restructured the data and fiber systems for the RH Shepherd campus in Hanover; built the network for both the office building and the lab for JCI in Shrewsbury; and worked with many outstanding leaders on multiple other projects. I want to be an instructor because I feel I can impart a working knowledge of my trade to the apprentices, and I possess the desire to share what I have learned and experienced to others. The best advice I can give to any student is to learn everything you can, from any source available, and put it to use. Our Union is only as good as our weakest person. To compete, we must be the best.

Courses: Structured Cabling, Fiber Optics

Derek Jennings
Courses: Commercial and Industrial Blueprints

Corey Mensinger
Courses: Rigging & Lifting, Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices, NFPA 70E, OSHA 30

Robbie Edmonds

I am a journeyman electrician for IBEW Local 229.  I recently graduated in 2023.  This will be my first year teaching.  I want to make Local 229 the best it can be, and I feel this is the way I can do that.  I am excited to start my teaching career and looking forward to learning and growing in this field.

Courses: Code, Standards, and Practices, Grounding and Bonding, and Transformers

Shaun Linden

I am a 1997 graduate of William Penn High School in York, PA and a 2005 graduate of the 3-year telecommunications apprenticeship at IBEW Local 229.  I began instructing in 2017.  During my career, I have held various leadership positions on projects including multi-story office buildings, schools, and warehouses.  I am currently pusuing instructor training at the National Training Institute in Ann Arbor, MI.  In addition to my technical career, I am Vice President of my community’s Home Owners Association and a PIAA basketball official.

Courses: Access Control, Intrusion Detection

Scott Brenneman

I am the Youth Program Director at the York Electrical Institute tasked with recruiting young people to look at the trades as an option other than college. I am also the instructor for the youth pre-apprenticeship Boot Camp and administrator of the Interim Credentials class.

I have 35 years in the trade starting in a non-union shop. I completed my apprenticeship in 1988. In 2001 I applied to the IBEW and successfully passed the Journeyman/Wireman written test and interviewed at an oral board.  Throughout my career I have participated in continuing education in safety, data networking, PLC programming, supervision and have worked my way up the ranks as Journeyman through electrical supervisor. The environments and facilities that I have experience in are medical, educational, industrial, nuclear to  name a few.

I have also served on the IBEW Local 229 Federal Credit Union Board and am currently serving on the Local 229 Examining Board.   This past summer I completed my first of four years of the National Training Institute’s Instructor Training Program held at the University of Michigan.

Courses: Youth Boot Camp, Adult Pre-Apprenticeship, Interim Credentials

Brenton Van Der Toorn

I am the 2nd year Instructor.  I currently work for EL Heim in a foreman position.  My on-the-job experiences have helped me to become a well-rounded journeyman.  I am proud to pass this knowledge and skill onto the students I am teaching, to help further their careers.

Courses: AC Theory, Orientation

Glenn Gallagher

I am the 5th year Instructor and have been teaching for 4 years now.  I graduated from York Electrical Institute in 2016.  I have worked in many different electrical fields and as foreman on multiple jobs.  I enjoy teaching the final year of the apprenticeship and I am looking forward to continuing my growth as a journeyman and as an instructor.

Courses: Lighting Essentials, Health Care Facility, Electrical Vehicle Charging Station, and Distributed Generation