High School Signing Day celebrates 60+ student apprentices

More than 60 Quad Cities students made a commitment to their future at the High School Apprenticeship Signing Day event on Wednesday when they signed letters of intent with 19 employers in six fields of work: bank teller, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), CNC machining, pre-apprenticeship electrician, IT software engineering and welding.

The students, who are enrolled in the Registered High School Apprenticeship Program (RHSAP), build technical and professional skills in the classroom and through on-the-job learning with partner companies, many of which are seeking to build their future workforce.

RIHAP is a collaborative effort coordinated by the Chamber in partnership with education and industry partners. That collective focus on developing the future workforce, as well as the commitment the students have made, was lauded in a video message from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Mayors, council members and educators walked into the Waterfront Convention Center to find the room full of students, representatives from the participating businesses and seven school districts, and rows of parents and family members.

RHSAP continues to grow. The program was launched by Deere & Company four years ago with nine student apprentices. James Hotchkiss, Deere & Company Community Integration Coordinator said this year, more than half of the student apprentices at the event were signing letters of intent to complete apprenticeships with the global Fortune 100 giant. “The value these students bring to any plant is a fresh set of eyes, youth and excitement for welding, CNC machining, IT, or whatever career path they are following,” Hotchkiss said, adding the Signing Day event honors the commitment the students are making. “They deserve to be celebrated. This is a chance to tell them we care about them as much as we do our college athletes.”

Students were congratulated for embracing their interests and committing to their goals, and noted, instead of paying for education after graduation, they are getting paid for their education right now.

Makenzie Terry is scheduled to take the Illinois CNA exam next week and graduate from the RHSAP a full year before she graduates from Rock Island High School. “I’ve wanted to be in the medical field my entire life and always wanted to find solutions and ways to help people,” she said. Her on-site apprenticeship training at Friendship Manor in Rock Island let her put that passion, and the skills she’s gained, to use. “It has shown me that I can make a difference,” she said.

This is the first year Uniparts Olsen is hosting a high school apprentice. Satya Narayan, Vice President, Manufacturing/Operations, said it is a great avenue to introduce youth to the machining trades. “In addition to giving students training and exposure to unique and highly specialized processes, they get the opportunity to grow in the organization. It is important for us to expose the next generation when they are young and maintain and build their interest in manufacturing,” he said.

Jacob Batterson, a West High School senior, will complete his welding apprenticeship with Seaberg Industries and is very excited about his future. “I can’t wait to get more and more involved in the field,” he said, adding he first became interested in welding as a freshman because the trade involves so much more than just welding. “I love the engineering and science behind it. There are so many techniques and I like that I get to be hands-on,” he said.

Hotchkiss encourages other businesses to consider hosting a high school apprentice. “When you bring on a student you are introducing young people who do not always know about these career paths into these fields. Also, you get the chance to show them the possibilities. These students are loyal, they will always remember where they started and you are getting someone who will likely stick with your company who you’ve trained from scratch,” he said.

Rebecca Thoene’s son Aidan, a senior at Pleasant Valley High School, signed a letter of intent with Arconic for a CNC apprenticeship. She said it was a teacher at Pleasant Valley High School who identified Aidan’s strengths last year and encouraged him to explore his potential through classroom training and on-site apprenticeship. She is so thankful. “It turned his whole life around and he is so much more confident now. This program does so much more than build our future workforce; it builds our children.”

Learn what apprenticeships mean to businesses, students and parents.