Educational and Cultural Programs

Established in 1963 to provide educational, charitable and philanthropic programs that would improve the welfare of members, their families and the community. Though eligibility varies for each program, all benefits from this Fund are offered at no cost to eligible members of Local Union No. 3.

Your child can apply for one of the scholarship awards offered by the Fund.

You and your spouse are eligible for college tuition reimbursement, up to a $25,000 lifetime maximum each.

You may apply for a $32,000/$48,000 line of credit for each of your children to be used for undergraduate or graduate tuition at an accredited college and may borrow up to $4,000/$6,000 per child, per semester (fall or spring). You can borrow for no more than two children per semester and can have no more than a total of $56,000 in unpaid loans. The interest rate on the loan is pegged to the mid-term "Applicable Federal Rate" or "AFR" that is set by the IRS on a monthly basis. Once fixed, the AFR applies for the nine-year life of the $32,000/$48,000 line of credit. For information about the College Assistance Tuition Benefit (C-Tab), see the College Assistance Tuition Benefit FAQ Sheet.

Classes are offered from September to June at the Electrical Industry Center in Flushing for those participants planning to take GED exams in pursuit of a diploma. You can get more information and obtain an application to register for GED preparation classes.

After completing this five-session course, you may receive 80% of your daily rate to offset wages lost when you are called for jury duty.

Seminars are conducted at the Electrical Industry Center to help you and your spouse best prepare for retirement.

This summer camp offers a full sports program, arts and crafts, nature and field trips, and is open to the children of eligible participants.

The Fund offers a range of courses at no charge to you. Some examples include Transit Skills Classes, Basic and Advanced Estimating and Computer Classes.

In compliance with the "A" construction electricians' contract, the funding for Commercial Driver License training ("CDL") will be paid through the Education and Cultural Trust Fund. Eligible members who are interested in obtaining their CDL should call the office at (718) 591-2000, Eextension 1530.

A biennial festival sponsored by the Fund that highlights the talents of you and your family through the display of more than 300 original works of art.

The Fund has a learning management system to deliver online training courses to IBEW Local Union No. 3 eligible Members. For more information on how to access the system, see the Accessing and Taking Courses on www.jiblearning.org page on this site.

The Critical Thinking in Human Relations course is one of the educational programs offered at the Long Island Education Center in Cutchogue. To be eligible, members must have worked for an employer who has made twenty-six weeks of contributions to the plan on their behalf. Active members/retirees and their eligible dependents are able to stay at the facility from Friday evening through Sunday at noon while members attend the Critical Thinking Course on Saturdays. If you're interested, you can download a registration form for more information.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much would I need to pay to take an OSHA certificate training class?

The Educational and Cultural Trust Fund offers a wide variety of OSHA classes to members free-of-charge. In classes involving licensing fees, such as the Asbestos Restricted Handler and the Asbestos Handler classes, all fees are paid by the Educational and Cultural Trust Fund to the D.O.H., D.O.L., and the D.E.P. Classes are conducted evenings at the Electric Industry Center in Flushing, Queens. Most classes require an annual refresher course.

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