Community

In partnership with local non-profit, Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region, Martin Electric is excited to announce our sponsorship of a themed “Construction Week” during Girls Inc.'s 2025 6-Week Summer Camp. This themed week will introduce 100 girls to careers in STEM and the trades at no cost to their families.

As a WBE Certified business, it is our responsibility to expose the trades to girls of all ages. Martin Electric is committed to drawing out the blueprint for action. There are opportunities available for your business to support themed summer camp weeks like ours, ensuring all girls have access to transformative opportunities. Are you willing to make a difference?

Kendra Hart (President of Martin Electric) - “We hear a lot about diversity and inclusion and yes, this is extremely important, but what we often forget to talk about and discuss and what I believe to be most important is access. How do we remove physical, systemic and procedural obstacles that prevent someone from participating?... Kids are taught how to get into college, but what about the union?”

Ashli Fragomeni (CEO of Girls Inc. GCR) "After speaking with Kendra about her vision for Martin Electric and how the company may want to partner with Girls Inc., I could immediately visualize 20 years from now a woman speaking to a room full of young girls about how she got her start in the trades because she attended a summer camp where Martin Electric and Girls Inc. came together to show her that girls can do anything!"

Learn more about Girls Inc. GCR: Girls Inc. Announces $15,000 Gift from Martin Electric to Aid Summer Camp Programming | Inspiring All Girls to be Strong, Smart & Bold

Read more in this featured article by Troy Record:https://lnkd.in/ehnKUWAC

At Martin Electric, we believe in the profound impact of community involvement and the importance of fostering a strong, collaborative and inclusive workplace environment. That's why our volunteer days are an integral part of our team-building strategy. It allows us to bring together our field and office staff and create stronger relationships within our company and community. Here's why these days matter:

1. Enhanced Team Bonding: Volunteering together allows employees to connect outside the office environment, strengthening relationships and fostering a sense of unity. Working towards a common goal in a different setting encourages collaboration and camaraderie.
2. Boosted Morale: Giving back to the community provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment that translates into higher job satisfaction. Employees feel proud to be part of a company that prioritizes social responsibility, leading to a more motivated and engaged workforce.
3. Skill Development: Volunteer activities often involve problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork, offering opportunities for employees to develop and refine these skills. It's a win-win for personal growth and professional development.
4. Positive Corporate Culture: Regular volunteer days reinforce our commitment to corporate social responsibility. This dedication to making a difference in our community helps build a positive, inclusive, and empathetic workplace culture.
5. Community Impact: By dedicating our time and resources to local causes, we contribute to the well-being of our community. Our collective efforts can drive significant change and create a lasting impact.

Let’s continue to cultivate a spirit of lifting each other up, as a company and a community. Together, we can achieve great things both within and beyond our office walls.

Martin Electric participated in another season of the Adopt-a-Child program organized by Unity House. Thanks to the many contributions from our team, we helped to make a cheerful Christmas morning for two wonderful and deserving families. We are already looking forward to participating in the program again next year!

It seems that no matter where you are in the world and no matter the industry – every business is facing their own unique workforce challenges. While demand continues to grow for craft workers – like electricians – the supply continues to be squeezed by an aging workforce and continued stigma of blue-collar jobs.

Understanding that the sustainability of not only our 81-year-old company but also country, relies upon a pipeline of future, talented electricians, our company is committed to being a public partner when it comes to workforce development initiatives.

In January 2020, we hosted 25 eighth grade students from Howard L. Goff Middle School for an interactive discussion on what a career in the electrical industry looks like; what employers are looking for in a candidate; how to be successful; and the advantages and disadvantages of a career in this field. 

In an effort to keep the attention of these energetic students, we structure the program with a short presentation on who we are, what we do, and how we do it followed by an activity where students built a simple battery motor. During lunch, the students heard from a panel of electricians at various stages in their career. The program concluded with a “Speed Networking” session where students had the opportunity to break out into small groups to meet with our back-office team members based on their top three position preferences such as Project and Warehouse Managers, Estimators, Engineers, and Mechanics.

While we wished we had more time with the students, it was a great success and we hope to be able to partner with other schools in the future.

Interested in teaming up for a workforce development event? Please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Let's think outside the box here 🌍 What if the future of our workforce was shaped by the best ideas from around the world!

Martin Electric and HVCC have teamed up again—this time not just to host, but to learn. Inspired by Denmark’s progressive approach to vocational education, we explored how to bring elements of the Danish curriculum into our apprenticeship programs right here in New York State. During a tour of the Barnet Mills jobsite, where Martin Electric and BBL Construction are revitalizing the historic Shotty Mills in Rensselaer, the conversation turned from tools to transformation.

As the workforce evolves, so must the way we prepare it. One big question came up during a recent international exchange that’s hard to ignore: Are our apprenticeship programs doing enough to prepare well-rounded tradespeople—or are we pigeonholing students into narrowly defined roles?

That question was front and center when Martin Electric and Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) teamed up to host vocational students from Denmark’s Herningsholm Vocational College (HVC). But this wasn’t just a tour—it was a learning experience for everyone involved, and a chance to reflect on how we structure apprenticeship training in New York State.

Unlike many U.S. programs, Denmark’s vocational education system offers students comprehensive exposure to installation, design, project planning, modeling, and estimating—all before graduation. They don’t just teach how to do the work, but why and how to plan it. That’s a big contrast to many American apprenticeships, where students often begin as installers and grow into other roles over time, usually on the job.

On the Ground at Barnet Mills

The Danish carpentry students visited the Barnet Mills jobsite in Rensselaer, where Martin Electric and BBL Construction are working on a 72-unit reconstruction project. After a site tour led by Ryan Eute (BBL Construction) and Tom Carnevale (Martin Electric), students met with Martin Electric President Kendra Hart, who spoke about the growing demand in the Capital Region’s construction industry—and how training programs must evolve to keep pace.

The visit wrapped up with a roundtable discussion covering:

• Curriculum structure
• Apprenticeship training differences
• Use of technology on job sites
• Differences in building codes (fire rating, wood vs. metal framing)
• The growing role of mixed-use development in Denmark vs. industrial focus in the U.S.

Tech, Trades & Training: A Global Comparison

Danish students were particularly interested in how U.S. companies use technology like BIM, CAD, and digital modeling. Martin Electric and BBL explained how these tools help streamline material planning and troubleshoot issues before work begins. Meanwhile, the HVC students shared how digital tools are integrated into their training from the start—giving them a head start on high-tech job sites.

Changing the Narrative Around Trades

Another key conversation: how skilled trades are viewed in society. In Denmark, students often choose vocational paths straight out of middle school—and it’s seen as a respected, first-choice career. In the U.S., that perception is still catching up. Partnerships like this help shift the narrative by showing the value, complexity, and innovation in today’s trades.

The Cultural Exchange Experience at HVCC

Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) continues to strengthen its international partnership with Herningsholm Vocational College (HVC) of Denmark. In spring 2025, HVCC proudly welcomed its fifth delegation of HVC students to New York’s Capital Region as part of an ongoing cultural exchange program focused on workforce development in the skilled trades.

This year’s visiting group includes 11 vocational students training to become carpenters and joiners. During their stay, they’re taking part in on-campus learning experiences, peer-to-peer collaboration, and field visits with local employers, including jobsite tours hosted by industry leaders like Martin Electric and BBL Construction.

These immersive experiences are designed to provide the students with a real-world view of the U.S. construction industry—complementing their classroom learning and broadening their understanding of how the trades function globally.

Takeaway: Cross-cultural programs like this one not only expand students’ perspectives, but also help local employers connect with global best practices and inspire a new generation of skilled tradespeople.

What Do You Think?

Is it time to rethink how we train apprentices in the U.S.?
Are our apprenticeship programs doing enough to prepare well-rounded tradespeople—or are we pigeonholing students into narrowly defined roles? Should we follow Denmark’s lead and offer a more holistic, tech-forward approach that includes design, estimating, and project management from the start?

We’d love to hear from other contractors, educators, and students—what are you seeing in your region? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for any workforce development initiatives.

Martin Electric joined community leaders, sponsors, and Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region today to announce the continuation of an initiative that will once again provide free summer camp experiences for 100 local girls.

Last year, Martin Electric became the inaugural sponsor of the program, contributing $15,000 to eliminate financial barriers for campers and partnering with Girls Inc. to host a Girls in Construction themed week. What began as a single sponsorship has since grown into a larger community effort, with additional organizations stepping forward to support and expand access for even more girls throughout the Capital Region.

"When Martin Electric partnered with Girls Inc. to launch this camp sponsorship initiative last year, our goal was simple: ensure that cost was never a barrier to opportunity," said Kendra Hart, President of Martin Electric. "It's been inspiring to see other organizations join that effort and help open even more doors for the girls across our community."

For Martin Electric, a WBE certified electrical contractor, it is a priority that we offer the exposure that allows girls to see the opportunities available to them. Sometimes all it takes is seeing someone who looks like you doing the job or hearing that you belong in that space. 

"The lightbulb moment from last year's camp was how curious, creative and problem solving the girls were." Hart said, "I realized, that's what we lost in our industry. Our industry has become so textbook oriented, so two dimensional... What we really want to achieve is, how do we harness that energy the girls had? How do we protect the curiosity, the eagerness to succeed, the open-mindedness, the willingness to collaborate, and how do we bring that into the workforce? It's through programs like Girls Inc."

Whether these girls grow up to become electricians, teachers, engineers, business owners, healthcare professionals, or anything else they choose, our hope is that this experience helps them build confidence in themselves and recognize that there are no limits on what they can achieve.

Martin Electric is proud to continue supporting Girls Inc. and its mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

Learn more about Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region: Here!

Check out highlights from last year's summer camp: Here!

The crews at Martin Electric worked together this past month to donate over 75 backpacks full of school supplies to kids in need across the Albany-Rensselaer areas.

These efforts were a collaboration between Martin Electric and our local community. We look forward to continuing this tradition each year.

Thank you to everyone involved! #POWERINGcommunities #EMPOWERINGpeople

On September 14th, we hosted a personal care drive to support domestic violence shelters which have been greatly impacted by COVID-19. We volunteered as a donation drop-off station where more htan 133 cars delivered hygienic neecessities in addition to the products donated by Martin Electric employees. The field team gathered donations delivered to other collection box stations around the Capital Region and delivered everything to local shelters in need.

In partnership with Project: Cameron's Story, Martin Electric donated 312 books in support of their 11th annual "Bookraiser" event! The mission of this event is to support the bonding of parents with their premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), through literature and storytelling. To learn more about Project: Cameron's Story, visit their website: www.projectcameronsstory.com.

Thank you to the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce and Questar III for creating a platform that promotes career opportunities for students and young adults in construction and for allowing me to be a part of their Workforce Development initiative.

As a millennial, I was part of a culture that stigmatized skilled trade ocupations with the term "blue collar." College seemed to be that only path to success. In reality, I saw many of my peers graduate college with insurmountable amounts of debt, meager salaries, and careers that left them unsatisfied. From healthy salariesa nd benefit packages to career advancement opportunities, there are so many great opportunities for young adults in trades that we are ignoring.

With an aging workforce and limited supply of the next generation of mechanics, carpenters, electricians and so on, we face a major problem: Who is going to build the future America?

While we, as a society, may undervalue trades, the marketplace doesn't.

To the parents, educators, and mentors of our youth: let's change the stigma and promote careers in traditional industries to the students who want to use both their mental intellect and physical strength to build the future.

In October, as part of domestic violence awareness month, we participated in "Turn the Town Purple" - an event to break the silence surrounding domestic violence by donating 600+ purple LED lights to local community members, business and government who wanted to participate in the event.

Every topping-off ceremony marks an important milestone in construction. The final structural beam is set into place, signatures are added, and a project that has existed on paper for years begins to feel real.

For Hudson Valley Community College's new Applied Technology Education Center (ATEC), that milestone represents something much bigger than a completed steel frame. It represents opportunity.

ATEC's Topping-Off Ceremony 

Set to open in 2027, the 125,000-square-foot facility will provide students with access to modern labs, classrooms, and equipment designed for careers in building systems, renewable energy, semiconductor manufacturing, automotive and transportation technologies, and other high-demand industries.

At a time when employers across New York continue to face skilled workforce shortages, investments like ATEC help create a stronger connection between education and industry. More importantly, they create opportunities for students to discover rewarding careers while providing employers with the skilled workforce our region needs.

When Hudson Valley Community College announced its philanthropic partners for ATEC in 2024, Martin Electric was honored to be among them with a $100,000 contribution. Like many organizations that supported the project, our investment reflected a simple belief: workforce development isn't something one organization can solve alone. It requires educators, employers, labor partners, and community leaders all working toward the same goal.

The conversation around workforce development often centers on what employers need. We talk about labor shortages, retiring workers, and the growing demand for skilled trades professionals. Those conversations are important, but they're only part of the story. The other part begins with students. Students deserve access to facilities that reflect the industries they hope to enter. They deserve opportunities to learn with current technology, develop practical skills, and explore careers they may not have previously considered. Just as importantly, they deserve to see that local employers are invested in their success long before graduation. That's why partnerships between education and industry are so valuable.

Martin Electric's Relationship to Hudson Valley Community College

For decades, Martin Electric has maintained a close relationship with Hudson Valley Community College. Many of our employees have developed their careers through programs connected to the college, and we've had the privilege of participating in advisory boards, classroom visits, career fairs, internships, annual scholarships and workforce development initiatives that help students understand the opportunities available in the electrical and construction industries. When the opportunity arose to support the Applied Technology Education Center, our decision wasn't about putting our name on a building. It was about supporting an institution that has consistently invested in our community and believing in the students who will one day help build, maintain, and improve the places where we live and work. Supporting ATEC was simply another extension of that relationship.

Contractors, educators, manufacturers, labor organizations, and public partners all have a role to play in developing the next generation of skilled professionals. No single organization can solve workforce challenges alone, but together we can create more opportunities for students to discover careers that are rewarding, challenging, and impactful.

Watching the final beam being placed on ATEC was a reminder that every major project begins with a foundation. For this facility, that foundation extends beyond concrete and steel. It's built on collaboration, shared investment, and a commitment to preparing people for successful careers that will strengthen our region for decades to come.

We congratulate Hudson Valley Community College on reaching this exciting milestone and are grateful to be one of many organizations supporting a project that will have a lasting impact on students, employers, and the Capital Region.

Like in many parts of the United States, there has been concern about an aging workforce in the trades in New York State. Many skilled tradesmen are approaching retirement age, creating a major skills gap but also a HUGE opportunity for younger individuals to enter the tradesmen field. Efforts to address the skills gap have led to increased investment in training and apprenticeship programs across the state.

Martin Electric is proud to support this education initiative. Our workforce development program, such as this event we hosted last week with Goff Middle School 8th graders, aims to attract and prepare individuals for careers in the trades by providing hands-on experience and technical education.

It was a day filled with inspiration and education as the 8th graders delved into the exciting world of electrical contracting. Through hands-on workshops encompassing mock interviews, project estimating, and fabrication, these young minds gained valuable insights into what it takes to excel in the electrical field. Witnessing their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn was truly uplifting.

We look forward to our next opportunity to teach and learn from these inspirational young minds!

Interested in teaming up for a workforce development event? Please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Kendra visited Troy Elementary School in an effort to promote the trades to our future workforce. 

Interested in teaming up for a workforce development event? Please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In 2025, Martin Electric committed to removing a barrier that too often stands in the way of opportunity: cost.

By partnering with Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region, we made it possible for 100 girls to attend summer camp completely free of charge, ensuring that every camper had the opportunity to learn, explore, and discover new interests regardless of their financial circumstances.

This year, we were excited to return for the second year of our sponsorship with a week we proudly call GIRLS INC-onstruction Week.

Our team kicked off the week by serving lunch before leading an afternoon focused on the world of construction and the skilled trades. But our goal wasn't simply to talk about becoming electricians, it was to show the girls just how many different people it takes to build a successful company. From electricians, project managers, and estimators to marketing, finance, human resources, and safety professionals, every project depends on people with unique skills, perspectives, and ideas.

Innovation doesn't happen because everyone thinks the same - it happens because they don't.

One conversation stood out throughout the afternoon. When we asked the girls what they noticed about the construction industry, many pointed out that they don't see enough women represented in the skilled trades. Even more inspiring was, several of them said they wanted to help change that.

The girls also rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on electrical activity, using a battery, copper tape, and an LED to build a simple circuit that lit up their own Girls Inc. lightbulb. Along the way, they learned that troubleshooting, persistence, and problem-solving are all part of engineering and construction. 

As a Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Martin Electric understands the importance of creating spaces where young women can see themselves reflected in our industry. We believe the future of construction depends on welcoming people with different backgrounds, experiences, and ideas, while ensuring every young person knows there is a place for them if they choose this path. Whether these campers become electricians, engineers, project managers, marketers, teachers, or entrepreneurs, we hope they leave knowing that they are capable of building, creating, leading, and solving problems.

We're grateful to Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region for continuing to empower girls to be strong, smart, and bold, and we're proud to play a small part in helping spark that confidence.

See more photos and videos HERE.

Learn more about Girls Inc of GCR HERE.