IEC Foundation Announces First EmpowerHER Scholarship Awardees
Originally published on IEC Newsroom
For years, the IEC Foundation has provided financial assistance to individuals seeking to become electricians through the IEC Apprenticeship Program. In 2025, the Foundation took its support to the next level and introduced the EmpowerHER Scholarship.
Congratulations to Maria Cera Martinez and Isabella Sherwood — the Foundation’s first EmpowerHER Scholarship winners!
Applicants had to meet IEC Foundation’s scholarship requirements, and demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to advancing opportunities for women in the field. The EmpowerHER Scholarship aims to support women pursuing careers in the electrical industry by promoting inclusion and professional growth. This fits perfectly with the mission of the scholarship’s inaugural year sponsor, the Wesco Women’s Impact Network (WIN).
“WIN is a global resource and support network aimed at creating a space where women, allies, and the wider Wesco community feel valued, heard, and encouraged to have an impact,” says Shaunda Cohen, Wesco manager of supplier relations and WIN board member. “Through WIN, we have professional development opportunities and personal empowerment opportunities for our members.”
Shaunda says one of the goals for WIN was to award scholarships to deserving and qualified students who have demonstrated drive, dedication, and leadership as they pursue a career in the electrical industry. The EmpowerHER Scholarship encourages continued education and recognizes women’s contributions and helps advance their role in shaping the future of the electrical and construction industries.
“We congratulate Maria and Isabella for being the first recipients of the EmpowerHER Scholarship and we look forward to the contributions that they’re going to make in the electrical field,” Shaunda says. “We’re excited to watch them grow and develop into future leaders and role models.”
Maria
While Maria is just completing her first year in the IEC Rocky Mountain Apprenticeship Program, she is no stranger to electrical work. That’s because her husband, Erick Cabrera, is a journeyman electrician about a year away from obtaining his masters. Maria became interested in the field through him and, in fact, started off at the same company he works for, GTD Electric, based in Littleton, CO, as an electrical apprentice.
“There is a lot of opportunity and growth in this industry,” says Maria. “Other than GTD’s owner, I haven’t seen many other women in the field. When I can figure out a tough math problem and have a solution, it motivates me and makes me realize that, yes, I can do this. There are endless opportunities for everyone in this field.”
Maria is a student in the first IECRM apprentice class taught in Spanish and the only woman in that class. She says her apprenticeship class has been a good experience where she’s met many good and respectful peers and instructors alike.
“The teaching is in Spanish but the textbook is still in English,” Maria adds. “We have a great instructor, Ubaldo Perez, who interprets what is in the textbook and helps us to understand. He explains everything so well, especially when it comes to theory and code.”
Maria says the most challenging part of her apprenticeship is finding the time to do her homework. She’s juggling roles of mom, wife, worker, and student. The whole family is supportive and encouraging. Maria’s husband and her older daughter were extremely helpful during the EmpowerHER Scholarship process by interpreting communications, working on practice interviews, and watching her younger daughter on Maria’s school night.
Maria appreciates being awarded the EmpowerHER Scholarship as it eases the financial burden on her family and helps her to move along in her journey to become a licensed electrician. She also feels it helps paves a path for encouraging more women to enter the industry.
“First and foremost, I want to thank the IEC Foundation and Wesco and be sure they know how appreciative I am,” Maria says. “I want them to continue the push to motivate women to enter the industry and help all to understand that men and women alike can be successful in the electrical field. The IEC Apprenticeship Program is very doable and great at supporting women in the industry.”
Isabella
Isabella’s career path is a bit different than Maria’s. She was in college out of state but a heart condition brought her back home to complete an associates degree at a local community college.
“I didn’t exactly choose to be in the electrical field but I have chosen to continue and I have gained a respect for the trade,” Isabella says. “When my mom (Natasha Sherwood, now with IEC National as the director of workforce and chapter development) was executive director for the Florida West Coast IEC chapter, she needed some help with little things in the office which was how I started working with IEC. While working there, I was presented with an opportunity to help coordinate a pre-apprenticeship program. At first, I thought that I was unqualified for the position and also was not fully sure that I wanted to take the job because it was not what I originally was planning to do as a career. But now since I have been running the program and been able to meet all of the students that I am helping, I love the job and learned that it is necessary to start kids in this field at a young age so that they are able to gain a full understanding of all of their opportunities for the future and that college is not the only one.”
As the chapter’s pre-apprenticeship program coordinator, Isabella is responsible for enrolling students in the program, tracking and collecting all official paperwork, scheduling CPR and OSHA training for the students, and planning a hiring event to help students acquire summer internships / jobs. She also runs manpower for the chapter which entails reaching out to all potential apprenticeship candidates, reviewing their submitted materials, and then sending them out to chapter contractors and companies.
Isabella continues her college classes to earn her bachelor’s degree in business management and masters in construction management.
“I am sincerely honored and grateful to be selected as one of the scholarship recipients,” Isabella says. “IEC Foundation and Wesco generosity and support mean so much to me and will significantly ease the financial burden of my education. This scholarship allows me to focus more on my studies and pursue my academic and career goals with greater confidence. I truly appreciate your investment in my future, and I am committed to making the most of this opportunity. Thank you for believing in me and for your generosity — I hope to one day give back and help others, just as you have helped me.”
