MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Earn and learn: that’s the mission for one local electrical company with the growing trend of young adults entering the trade industry.

New Dawn Electric in Manatee County is hiring high school graduates and paying for their education.

Joseph Berloni is an eager student.

“What I like about this job is just being able to learn,” Joseph Berloni, New Dawn Electric employee, said.

For the past nine months, Berloni has been in an apprenticeship program with New Dawn Electric.

“I like working around it, it’s a good opportunity. Everyone needs electricians in the world,” Berloni said.

He is working full time at job sites like this one, getting paid and trained to become an electrician.

“Right now, we’re securing the transformer to the wall just to make sure that’s all secure,” Berloni said.

He graduated last May from Braden River High School.

"I never had the ambition to go to college. I thought maybe that wasn’t for me," Berloni said. “I didn’t know anything about this trade coming out of high school. Alan and Kelly really took a chance on me."

A chance Berloni isn’t taking for granted. He’s been taking night classes twice a week at Manatee Technical College since the fall. He’ll graduate from the electrician registered apprenticeship program in 2028.

“We are learning about electrical theory right now, which is basically a very advanced physics class,” Berloni said.

New Dawn Electric doesn’t just provide him with a paycheck — the company also pays for his education.

“I feel like it’s a very good opportunity for me to kind of prove that they’re paying for something, that they’re going to get a good return on,” Berloni said.

Manatee Technical College says their overall enrollment has increased by more than 25 percent from 2024 to 2025. And those enrolled in the electrician apprenticeship program increased by 140 percent.

“Eventually, I want to own my own electrical company and kind of do the same thing that the company that I’m at right now is doing — helping apprentices,” Berloni said.

Berloni is staying wired for success, using his apprenticeship role to power his future.

New Dawn Electric hires three high school graduates for their apprenticeship program each year and hopes to expand that number.

The company just received its commercial license last fall.