Cooper News

Cooper Electric Offers Optional Faith-based Employee Assistance Program

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 08:15:01 -0400

GREENSBORO, NC (March 12, 2012)- Cooper Electric has partnered with Corporate Chaplains of America to provide an optional faith-based employee assistance program. The aim, said Cooper Electric officials, is to offer an exceptional employee care program using highly trained, confidential counselors.

"We are almost a year in, and the program is thriving," said Cooper Electric President Barry Brown. "The Cooper employees who choose to use this service have found it to be a first-rate resource. Whether facing personal crises, family difficulties or even financial hardship, employees have the option of using this service. Our chaplains are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are fully committed to the care and wellbeing of all our employees."

Cooper Electric uses two chaplains to cover the territory demanded by worksite operations and corporate headquarters. Chaplains Gerson Torres and Tony Casas, both trained and supported by Wake Forest, N.C.-based Corporate Chaplains of America, make their rounds at Cooper at least once every week, visiting weekly with Cooper employees who wish to participate in the program. According to leaders at Corporate Chaplains of America, employees make all decisions about interaction with Chaplains.

Tony Casas, chaplain for Cooper Electric's Greensboro headquarters, explained the value of the Corporate Chaplains program for employees and business owners: "Employees have an objective friend, bound by confidentiality, who provides care, encouragement and support that an employer may want to provide, but can't."

According to Casas, employees call on him to provide a full range of support services. "Sometimes I may be called upon to help employees manage stress or resolve conflict," Casas said. "Sometimes an employee may come to me with family or financial issues. Sometimes I perform marriages. Sometimes I perform funerals. No matter what the situation, a workplace chaplain comes to employees with a spirit of help and encouragement, providing spiritual counsel when requested."

According to Torres and Casas, one effect of a faith-based workplace chaplaincy is a measurable increase in employee satisfaction. "A business owner who approves this program does so because they value and care for their employees," Torres said. "They want to make sure they are at their best. The chaplains are there to encourage employees, which in turn motivates them and makes them feel valued."

Brown hopes the introduction of this program will contribute to the continued growth and health of the Cooper Electric team. "We want to be a company that cares for our employees," said Brown. "We want to provide resources for them when they are in difficult circumstances, and we want our employees to know that we care for the whole person, not just their job performance."

Corporate Chaplains of America is a non-denominational organization that exists to build relationships with and offer care to employees with personal and professional life issues. The goal of the organization is to care for all employees regardless of ethnic or faith background while doing so in a non-threatening manner and within the parameters of the White House Guidelines for Religious Exercise and Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace.

Incorporated in 1954, Greensboro, N.C.-based electrical construction company Cooper Electric serves a wide range of industrial, commercial and municipal customers across the Southeast, providing best-in-class electrical design/build, instrumentation and calibrations services. For more information about our electrical construction services, please contact us at 336.275.8439.

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Cooper Announces More Than 1,000,000 Safe Working Hours

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:29:23 -0500

GREENSBORO, NC (February 27, 2012) - On February 27, 2012, Cooper Electric officials announced the completion of more than 1,102,756 safe working hours since their last lost-time incident. This momentous achievement in a high risk field distinguishes Cooper as a workplace committed to an exceptional level of employee safety and competence.

According to Cooper Electric President Barry Brown, “Our commitment to safety is the essential foundation of all of our services. We don’t cut corners or look the other way because we can’t - the lives of our employees are at stake. Instead, we train and certify all of our employees to deliver services safely and confidently, ensuring that every field electrician is proficient in safety codes and practices.”

As part of the electrical construction, calibrations and instrumentation industry, Cooper Electric mandates ongoing safety training for all of its employees. Field electricians must be certified and must have a complete understanding of state electrical codes. Safety managers must complete a rigorous training program provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

According to the OSHA 500 course description published at www.osha.gov, “This course is designed for personnel in the private sector interested in teaching the 10- and 30-hour construction safety and health outreach program to their employees and other interested groups. Special emphasis is placed on those topics that are required in the 10- and 30-hour programs as well as on those that are the most hazardous, using OSHA standards as a guide.”

In addition, company safety performance is measured by the Experience Modification Rate (EMR)* that Worker’s Compensation assigns to each organization. As of the time of this release, Cooper has achieved an EMR of .82, well below the industry average of 1.0, indicating an effective safety program that eliminates hazards and prevents injuries, reducing insurance claims.

Incorporated in 1954, Greensboro, NC-based electrical construction company Cooper Electric serves a wide range of industrial, commercial and municipal customers across the Southeast, providing best-in-class electrical design/build, instrumentation and calibrations services.

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Cooper Launches Apprenticeship Program

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:41:50 -0500

GREENSBORO, NC (February 15,2012) - Cooper Electric officials launched the company's new apprenticeship program with a presentation at the Northeast High School Career Fair on February 15. About 1100 students were expected to participate in the Career Fair this year, say school officials, and participating industry professionals were encouraged to develop dynamic presentations of exciting career possibilities for young people.

Created for highly motivated individuals interested in learning a skill while gaining paid work experience, the Cooper Electric "Get Paid to Learn a Trade" apprenticeship program offers accepted candidates full-time, paid positions, on-the-job training under seasoned supervisors and "career in hand" opportunities resulting in full Journeyman Electrician certification.

According to Cooper President, Barry Brown, the apprenticeship fills an industry-wide need for skilled workforce development. "We realized we needed to be proactive in training and recruiting new talent," said Brown. "Successful apprentices at Cooper will walk away from our program with a new skill, yes, but also a new career."

Program requirements include four years, or 8000 hours, of on-the-job training and 643 hours of related classroom instruction. Cooper's electrical training curriculum was created by the National Center for Construction Education and Research's Contren Learning Series and is being offered in partnership with the North Carolina Association of Electrical Contractors.

Jay Poulos, apprenticeship program coordinator at Cooper Electric believes the program will have a positive impact on young people looking for careers in industry. "We are committed to the development of our employees so they will become the future faces of Cooper Electrical Construction Company," said Poulos. "There is great growth in the construction industry right now and Cooper Electric is the best place to find a solid, reliable career."

Officials hope the benefits of the program will be far-reaching. According to George Matthews, Chief Financial Officer for Cooper, "This is a much-needed skill in a high-demand industry. Construction is the largest industry in the world, and as long as there is infrastructure development, certified, skilled electricians will be needed."

Cooper Electric serves a wide range of industrial, commercial and municipal customers across the Southeast, providing best-in-class electrical design/build, instrumentation and calibrations services.

To find out more about Cooper's apprenticeship program, contact Jay Poulos, or visit the apprenticeship page on our website.

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Customers Commend Cooper Field Crews

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:28:21 -0400

Recently Cooper received several unsolicited commendations from different customers in different markets. The true measure of success really is client satisfaction. Here is what two clients had to say:

“Cooper has by far one of the most professional crews on this site I have ever worked with. This is from supervision to the guys in the field. J.O. and his crew get along and get more work done than any crew I have ever seen in the field. Cooper is very blessed to have such a close-knit bunch of workers and staff that is very hard to find in today's work force. The project is going very well and the only hold ups you guys may encounter is being held up by other trades. Thanks again for the opportunity to work with you guys. “

- Mark Cannon, Contract Safety Manager, Merck

“We here at Dellinger, Inc. would like to offer our sincere thanks to you and your firm for a job well done at the Oak Island WRF project and especially to B.P. for his onsite leadership, attention to detail, drive, and all-around technical know-how. Thanks again for all the help and we look forward to our next project together.”

- David Grubbs, Assistant VP, Dellinger Construction