A grant provided by the Department of Labor allows for an important partnership. In this case that partnership is between Rend Lake College, Man-Tra-Con and employers who are all working together to fill open jobs with qualified employees.
INA (WSIL) - Rend Lake College's Apprenticeship Works program is a partnership between the college, Man-Tra-Con and employers to help qualify and fast track students into the job they want. On Tuesday, Rend Lake held an informative roundtable on the program.
It's no secret there's a shortfall in the workforce. In its third year, the Apprenticeship Works program has helped to offset that some. A grant provided by the Department of Labor allows for an important partnership. In this case that partnership is between Rend Lake College, Man-Tra-Con and employers who are all working together to fill open jobs with qualified employees.
Initially, Man-Tra-Con does the legwork with employers.
"We meet with the employer, we assess their needs, find out what training programs they may be lacking in, where do they need people, and just work with them on building that pipeline," explained Man-Tra-Con Apprenticeship Navigator, Emily Perks. "So, that helps with recruiting efforts, retaining current employees. So, the apprenticeship program is really a win/win for all."
Rend Lake College facilitates the coursework that's compatible with the employer's needs.
"Our role is to be the classroom training,"said RLC Director of Apprenticeship and Community and Corporate Education, Tonya Odum. "We want to connect the students with the employers, give them classroom training, help them better themselves for better pay, better life opportunities, that's our role."
And employers, across the board, from police departments to Continental Tire to Pepsi, get a new resource for recruitment of motivated and employable candidates/apprentices.
Larry Chambers, Pepsi Vice President of Fleet and Facilities, said Pepsi is like most employers right now, and finds it difficult to fill jobs.
"It (Apprenticeship Works) gave me another avenue of finding, recruiting and hiring applicants that I could then train, that would best suit our business model," Chambers said.
And following completion of the program, students like Blake Pierce from Mt. Vernon who's currently an apprentice at Continental, have a new future ahead of them.
Blake Pierce - Apprentice with Continental
"It's nice to know that the program that I'm in," Pierce said, "is getting me into a career that's a high paying job in my own area."
Businesses or students interested in the Apprenticeship Works program can contact Rend Lake College or Man-Tra-Con for more details.
