Durousseau Electrical Institute to Open in Mid-City

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Category: Community News

Published on Friday, 20 December 2013 16:58

Written by Chelsee Lowe

Amid the upholstery shops and convenience stores on West Jefferson Boulevard is Durousseau Electric, a small business owned and operated by Compton native Teo Durousseau.

After running his own electrical contracting business for more than 30 years, Teo has set his sights on something bigger. With the help of a few others, he’s converting his office into Durousseau Electrical Institute (DEI), a state-certified technical school with a 14-desk classroom and hands-on learning lab. The school is set to open in mid 2014.

“There’s not a lot of opportunity in this community for our young people, and there’s a major need for jobs,” Teo said. His goal is to help local students get the technical training needed to access over 80 electrical jobs on the market, from residential wire man to programmable logic controller.

Under the guidance of education director Jim Peare, DEI will offer the 720-hour curriculum required by the Department of Labor to work as an apprentice under a licensed contractor. The curriculum will take 10 to 12 months to complete, and class will take place on Saturdays and Sundays so that students can work at the same time. Though the curriculum isn’t cheap – total cost per student is set at $9,500 – other schools nearby have long wait lists or offer courses that are more expensive.

“We’re a non-profit, so we’re charging just enough to pay the instructors, pay for insurance, and cover start up costs,” said Teo. He’s hopeful that DEI will enroll 14 students its first year, and that some of the students can afford the tuition on their own. To help those students who can’t afford it, the DEI team is reaching out to local banks that might offer school loans, and they’re looking for community support in the form of partial or full scholarships, which would be tax deductible. 

To Teo, the tuition fees are well worth the opportunities his students will have once they’ve completed the DEI training. He and his staff will use their community connections to help program graduates find apprenticeship positions which, according to the State of California website, pay anywhere from $15 and $32 an hour. After 8,000 hours as an apprentice, workers qualify to take the exam to become a state-certified journeyman, and later an independent contractor. 

Teo himself walked this same career path. One day while working as a security guard, Teo watched a maintenance electrician at work. 

“He was just standing there changing bulbs,” said Teo, “and I thought, ‘That’s sort of cool.’ He didn’t even need a ladder. I started a conversation with him, and I got to know the local planning engineer who gave me a lot of encouragement. He helped me create a plan to become an apprentice. I look back at it now and I see how much fun I’ve had and how many amazing people I’ve met.” 

Teo is thankful to have found a mentor at a young age, and he plans to provide the same encouragement to residents in need. He would also be thrilled to have interested high school seniors enroll at DEI – by the age of 21 or 22, they could be state-certified electricians.

“Nothing is more fun for me than seeing someone get trained then go off to find professional success,” said Teo. “I can’t guarantee anyone a job, but if you complete the program, if you’re ambitious and serious, you will find work.”

To learn more about Durousseau Electrical Institute, visit www.dei-ca.com. To help fund a scholarship, volunteer, or donate equipment, contact Teo Durousseau at 323-734-6149.

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