Opening doors to career opportunities has long-range economic impact for community

Jay Richardson said he was “looking to go the college route” when an even better opportunity opened up for the 17-year-old Rock Island High School junior.

The opportunity – a registered apprenticeship – landed him at the doorstep of John Deere, one of the largest agricultural companies in the world. The Moline-based company is one of many local businesses giving young talent an early start in the skilled trades and other career fields. 

Richardson had the chance to celebrate his accomplishments alongside dozens of other apprentices and their host sites recently at Signing Day, held April 19 at the Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf. The event was produced through a collaborative effort of education and industry leaders and supported by the Quad Cities Chamber. The group is working together to find creative ways to meet current and future talent demands.

“Across the Quad Cities each and every company is saying they definitely need help,” Paul Rumler, Chamber President and CEO, said. “But gone are the days when you just put a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window and wait for the applicants to pour in. That’s why innovative solutions are needed to fill our talent pipeline.”

Rumler said the initiative helps fulfill the region’s Q2030 vision to grow and attract local talent and inspire lifelong learning. Prioritizing workforce development also gives the Quad Cities an advantage over other communities.

“Companies want to know that when they choose a region to build, they have the resources to be a success,” Rumler said. “That’s why it’s imperative that we work together to find solutions, so we continue to provide opportunities for businesses to thrive.”

Richardson is choosing a career as a welder. “Welding spoke to me,” he said. “It’s something I’m passionate about.”

And connecting this enthusiasm with opportunities is a key driver of the group initiative.

“We can be the perfect match for students passionate about this type of work and getting them on the right career path,” said David Ottavianelli, John Deere’s labor relations director who helped spearhead the program and its outreach. 

Large companies like John Deere are not the only ones opening their doors to new talent. Small and medium-sized businesses, like Eckhart Inc., also offer apprenticeships to a handful of local high school students. 

“We solved the problem at our doorstep,” Travis Turner, Eckhart general manager, said. “How do we find qualified people? They’re right here in front of us.” 
Turner said Eckhart has been involved in the effort to grant apprenticeships at the high school level for at least four years. “This is the best way to build a workforce – from the beginning,” he said, adding the students get paid the last year they are in high school.

All told, students from Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, North Scott, Pleasant Valley, and United Township schools will apprentice in manufacturing, security, IT, healthcare and banking. 

The more than 15 participating host-site companies include Deere, Eckhart, Per Mar, Musco Lighting, Midwest Alarms and MA Ford, among others. Black Hawk College and Eastern Iowa Community Colleges have also helped to connect students with opportunities in local industries. 

Jennifer Boyd, curriculum and instruction specialist for the Davenport Community School District, knows there’s a gap in the workforce and can’t stand when people say that students are not college material.

A four-year degree is not the only ticket to success, Boyd said. “No one path is successful for all people,” she said. “You need people ready to fill the workforce immediately.” 
Boyd said the student apprentices are “highly motivated” and “show up early” to work. 

“It’s a critical time in high school life where students try to figure out what they want to do,” Boyd said. “By the time they graduate, our students are more prepared for the workforce.” 

The 17-year-old Richardson would agree. “I put in a lot of my personal motivation, a lot of my own effort, to become a better welder. It’s hard work, but it’s very rewarding and – I’m trying to think of a big word for it, but I can’t. It’s fun.”

One student told Boyd that if it were not for the career technical education program at her school, she would have dropped out of high school.

“Now she’s one of the stars of our welding program,” Boyd said. “She will be hired on at John Deere with an apprenticeship.” 

Rumler watched the students’ reactions as they formally accepted their apprenticeships in front of an enthusiastic crowd of parents, educators and site hosts.

“How exciting is this?” Rumler said.  “This program connects the dots between many Q2030 and Quad Cities Chamber goals like high school graduation, continued learning and degree completion and meeting in-demand workforce needs for area employers.  What a win for the Quad Cities region.”