Amy Fischbach

Once Ernesto Castillo started taking classes through the Electrical Construction & Maintenance program at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (LATTC), he discovered his passion for hands-on work, troubleshooting, and problem solving. “Everything clicked right away, and I knew I wanted to pursue this as a career,” said Castillo, who was born and raised in Harbor City, Calif.

As the silver tsunami hits the electrical trades and engineering industry, aspiring leaders are rising to meet the challenge of designing and building tomorrow’s electrical systems. EC&M’s 30 Under 30 celebrates these Electrical All-Stars, who are not only investing in their own skills training and development, but also educating those who follow in their footsteps.

After Kyler Mealey graduated from high school, a family friend who worked as an apprenticeship director introduced him to the electrical industry. He shared stories about the projects he had worked on throughout his career, and hearing about the variety of work and opportunities captured his attention. “It quickly became something I could see myself pursuing as a long-term career,” he said.