Laker Nation News

In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, Lake Land College students signed 10 new apprenticeship agreements with four local businesses including Hydro-Gear in Sullivan, KC Summers Auto Group in Mattoon, North American Lighting in Paris and Quad Graphics Marketing LLC in Effingham at a signing event on campus Wednesday.

These agreements are in addition to several already existing apprenticeship agreements with local businesses such as The Equity in Effingham and 3Sisters Logistics in Teutopolis.

“The apprenticeship program allows us to be proactive in designing a program with Lake Land that will fast track new technicians and give them the ability to hit the ground running and being productive right away in a very rewarding and well-paying career as an automotive technician with us,” KC Summers Auto Group Service Director Ed Roley said.

Lake Land College Director to Center for Business and Industry Bonnie Moore invited representatives from each of the businesses to the stage to join their new apprentices in the signing of the agreements.

Representing Hydro-Gear, Brian Baca and Rachael Crane welcomed Derek Clark of Charleston as an Industrial Maintenance Mechanic apprentice.

Ed Roley representing KC Summers Auto Group welcomed Carson Body of Mattoon as an Automotive Technician apprentice.

Robert Woolum of North American Lighting in Paris welcomed students Gloria Harris of Paris and James Knight of Paris as Industrial Maintenance Mechanic apprentices for North American Lighting.

For Quad Graphics Marketing LLC, Mark and Lucas Leffler welcomed students Kevin Baize of Effingham, Adam Carter of Lerna, David Coffin of Salem, Jackson Leffler of Willow Hill, Jordan Ogden of Westervelt and Jordan Schumacher of Sigel as Industrial Maintenance Repairer apprentices.

Lake Land College President Josh Bullock declared support for both current and new apprenticeship partners in a proclamation commemorating the 85th anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act and the eighth anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week.

“At the core of apprenticeship is the idea that the transfer of knowledge from mentor to student can be life-changing for the individual, sustaining and successful for the industry, and altogether inspiring for the community,” Bullock said. “As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week together today, it is clear that Lake Land College is staying true to its vision of engaging minds and changing lives through the power of learning.”

As part of the celebration, Lake Land College also hosted a panel of new and long-standing apprenticeship employers, including Woolum of North American Lighting, Roley of KC Summers Auto Group and Baca of Hydro-Gear.

The panelists shared their thoughts on the evolution of apprenticeships and the benefits they provide to both participants and employers as well as other concepts such as how they decided to develop apprenticeship positions and how the positions coexist within the companies’ dynamics.

“Apprenticeships are more than just training; an apprenticeship is an investment,” Lake Land College WIOA Apprenticeship Navigator Nate Carlson said. “It is an investment of time and hard work on the part of the apprentices themselves, who dedicate themselves to studying and honing their skills, and it is an investment on the part of the employers, who fund their apprentices’ education and provide them with the guidance they need to thrive.”

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