Thirty-seven electrical contractors in North and South Dakota have joined forces to provide the latest in high-tech electrical systems and service to new and expanding businesses in the region.

Known as SmartWire, the group of contractors is combining an intensive ongoing training program for their electricians with a new marketing and promotion effort to make sure that companies who need the newest high-tech electrical services can find them right here.

The SmartWire contractors are members of the Dakotas Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and serve all of North and South Dakota as well as much of eastern Minnesota.

"Our members know that the need for non-traditional electrical services is growing at an incredibly rapid rate here in the Dakotas," said Francis Mazza, executive director of NECA, based in Fargo. "Twenty-first century electrical jobs aren't going to look anything like what we've been doing for the past 50 years, and our members are ready to help bring the Dakotas and eastern Minnesota the expertise they need in new, high-tech construction projects."

Mazza said, for example, that SmartWire Contractors, working with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), have established a 480 hour classroom training program in new technology wiring with an ongoing three-year on-the-job training program to enhance the classroom instruction.

"Nobody else in the industry is offering this kind of training for workers," Mazza said. "But we've talked to general contractors and key economic development officials in both Dakotas, and we know it's absolutely critical that these services are available here if we want to attract high-tech industries to our states."

"That's why we've taken the initiative to buy the equipment and train our electricians," Mazza said. "We're ready to help our states grow, and to provide good, high-paying jobs to our workers as we grow."

The group has launched a splashy, high-tech Web site, www.smart-wire.com which explains the services available from SmartWire contractors and provides a direct Internet link to the 37 members. A billboard campaign went up in early November around the two states, and information brochures and a video will be distributed beginning in early December.

The group also has a toll-free number for contractors or economic development officials to use when they're looking for information on high-tech electrical services, (800) 624-6371.

"There's a lot of new, high-tech construction going on, and we want to let people know that they don't need to bring in contractors from out of the region to do that work. It's available here," Mazza said. "If our states are going to find our place in this global economy, we have to be able to build the facilities these new companies want. Our SmartWire contractors have taken the steps to do that. We're excited about the future."