78 high school students accept apprenticeships at Chamber’s Signing Day event
78 high school students from throughout the QC expressed their commitment to becoming apprentices at 27 employers in 11 different fields of work at the Chamber's Apprenticeship Signing Day on Wednesday, May 14.
"Today we are celebrating Registered High School Apprenticeship Signing Day - we celebrate our local high school students and our local employers who have come together to create apprenticeships for our students," said event organizer James Porter, Vice President of Talent & Inclusion for the Chamber.
Signing Day was organized through the Registered High School Apprenticeship (RHSA) program, a collaborative effort from the Chamber, local school districts and business partners to develop the QC region’s talent pipeline. Students signed letters of intent for apprenticeships in Auto Body/Mechanic, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), CNC Machining, Concrete, Electrical, Heavy Equipment Operation, Plumbing, Supply Chain Management, Panel Fabrication and Welding.
Blessing Jabbah, a senior at Rock Island High School, said she wants to pursue a career in medicine. "I'm really excited to do this apprenticeship program with UnityPoint Health - Trinity. I'm hoping it will give me the experience I need to become a physician. Signing Day celebrates kids going into the trades and work fields that will benefit them in the future."
Sammy Widener, Talent & Acquisition Manager at UnityPoint Health - Trinity, said the CNA Apprenticeship Program allows the hospital to invest in young people who are passionate about caregiving and making a difference. "We provide the training, mentorship and support they need to grow - and a pathway into healthcare for students who may not have the opportunity to pursue a traditional program," she said. Widener added that in the four years the program has partnered with Rock Island High School, it has grown from one student the first year to 14 this year. "The 14 CNAs that we're going to sign today is, of course, a milestone for them, but it's also a symbol of UnityPoint's commitment to growing talent from within our community."
"We know that investing time with an apprencticeship means you're likely to gain a long-term employee," said Peter Tokar III, President & CEO at the Chamber. "Apprenticeships offer on-the-job training and allow businesses to showcase their organization and culture while building the next generation of talent. Businesses are telling us the number one challenge they're facing is workforce. Programs like the high school registered apprenticeship program are a great solution for this problem."
With manufacturing as one of the Quad Cities' biggest sectors, apprenticeships in the trades are vital to our workforce.
Kelly Fredrickson, Vice President of Engineering for McLaughlin Body Co. said, "We started up the program about five years ago with one school, and were a little hesitant getting into it - but it's been the best program we've ever had. It has just made such a big difference for us. We currently have three young people who were in the program who continued training; two became tool and die makers and one is a pipefitter."
Fredrickson thinks Signing Day is a great way to celebrate kids going into the trades."This event is fantastic for these kids. They get recognition from their parents, their schools, from their employers, it's just a great event - I think they really appreciate it."
The Registered High School Apprenticeship program has been steadily growing in the Quad Cities, but our region still has more interested students than business partners. If you are a business looking to grow your workforce, contact the Chamber for more information.
Here's the full list of 2025 Registered High School Apprenticeship program signees.
Bettendorf Community School District
- Jayden Anderson, welding at John Deere
- Aiden Shumaker, welding at John Deere
- Peyton Smith, welding at John Deere
Calamus - Wheatland Community School District
- Brady Olson, plumbing at Superior Plumbing
- James Prachar, electrical at River Cities Engineering
- Logan Reidesel, electrical at Hoffman Electric
- Drew VanderHeiden, heavy equipment operator at Rittmer, Inc.
- Logan VanderHeiden, heavy equipment operator at Rittmer, Inc.
Davenport Community School District
- Brayden Armstrong, electrical at Davenport Electric Contract Company
- Tucker Blankenship, welding at McLaughlin Body Company
- Maddie Bly, engineering at John Deere Davenport Works
- Ryan Boyd, welding at River City Metal Works
- Collin Brown, welding at McLaughlin Body Company
- Mathew Caldwell, electrical at Davenport Electric Contract Company
- Azeriah Collier, welding at John Deere
- Parker Coker, concrete at River City Cutting & Coring
- Memphis Cress, welding at Superior Tube Products
- Jaden Demers , welding at River City Metal Works
- Allen Doyle, machining at M.A. Ford
- Cooper Ellsworth, supply chain management at John Deere
- Tyler Gajeski, welding at McLaughlin Body Company
- Calvaunah Hayes, machining at M.A. Ford
- Noah Harland, welding at John Deere
- Jason Heggen, machining at M.A. Ford
- Jayden Howes, machining at M.A. Ford
- Bailey Jahns, electrical at Davenport Electric Contract Company
- Hailey Meier, welding at John Deere
- DeVaughn Nimmers, autobody / mechanics at Duck Creek Tire & Service
- Maxwell Roberts, machining at Arconic
- Hannah Schreiber, welding at River City Metal Works
- Ryan Strawhacker, welding at John Deere
- Khoa Troung, welding at River City Metal Works
- Zoey Wainwright, welding at John Deere
- Cayden Williams, machining at Jewell Group
Moline – Coal Valley Community School District #40
- Miguel Cornelius Diaz, welding at John Deere Seeding Group
- Devin Hollingsworth, machining at Bowe Machine Company
- Darrin Hoyt, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Jaylen Jamison, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Saige Marsh, machining at LMT Defense
- Brady Morrison, machining at LMT Defense
- Luis Plata-Diaz, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Tamiah Rogers, machining at M.A. Ford
- Simon Uwezo, machining at Arconic
- Drew VandeVoorde, machining at John Deere Cylinder Works
North Scott Community School District
- Cole Engelbrecht, welding at Invio Automation
- Derek Nimke, machining at Oertel Metal Works
- Avery Poole, CNA at Grand Haven Retirement Community
Pleasant Valley Community School District
- Kristiina Pope, panel fabrication at River Cities Engineering
Rock Island-Milan School District #41
- Eric Biswell, welding at Oertel Metal Works
- Vanessa Boswell, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Jada Brown, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Olivia Bunch, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Tatiana Catillon-Cisneros, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Nolan Foyntene, welding at Oertel Metal Works
- Himari, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Blessing Jabbah, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Susu Let, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Kylee Littlejohn, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Aubrey Massie, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Addison Pannell, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Lincoln Perez CNA UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Charisma Pullium, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Austin Schwab, welding at John Deere
- Ashley Simmons, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
- Kaiden Swanson, welding at John Deere
- Beautiful Wah, CNA at UnityPoint Health - Trinity
United Township High School District #30 Area Career Center
- Braden Brown, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Mylee Cole, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Amaya Correa, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Tyler Henkel, welding at McLaughlin Body Company
- Russell Johnson, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Anthony Kolani, autobody / mechanics at Zimmerman Honda
- Jose Martinez, autobody / mechanics at Stecker Graphics
- Logan Miller, welding at Oertel Metal Works
- Brody Oppendike, welding at John Deere Harvester Works
- Jacob Perez, autobody / mechanics at Sexton Ford
- Riley Schoutteet, welding at McLaughlin Body Company
- Aaron Wheatley, welding at McLaughlin Body Company
