66 QC High School students sign apprenticeships with local companies on Signing Day

Sixty-six Quad Cities students signed letters of intent to launch careers in the QC during the high school apprenticeship Signing Day event. Students from 6 different school districts expressed their commitment to becoming apprentices at 20 different employers throughout the region. 

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, Electrical, Software Engineering and Welding. 

"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. 

Moline Mayor, Sangeetha Rayapati kicked off the event saying, “These apprenticeships mark a great opportunity to prepare our young people for secure high-paying jobs, and opportunity is what we want to make sure we give our young people. The employer partners providing these opportunities are integral for all of this to happen.”

Participating companies have a unique opportunity to build positive work habits in their apprentices from an early age. Amy Hines of Arconic said, "Today means a lot to Arconic. There’s an ever-growing demand for skilled trades, and today we’re able to close that gap. We’re able to bring in young people and foster the skills that are needed in our factory.”

Events like Signing Day are valuable reminders to celebrate those who commit to a long-term, meaningful career, whether or not they choose the college route. Theresa Todd, Work-Based Learning Intermediary at Blackhawk College remarked, “We need to let these students know that the work they’re doing, and the work they’re going to get into is just as important and just as big of a deal as a student signing a D1 scholarship. They are going to be the backbone of our workforce. We need to celebrate them.”

West High School student, Hailey Finken said she decided to pursue welding as a career because of her sister. "She inspired me because she got to work with her hands and got to do cool things, make cool things. I can't wait to work for John Deere," she said, adding that her grandfather worked at the company for 40 years. 

Student speaker, Payton Morse said she participated in last year's Signing Day, and her experience over the past year as she approaches graduation, has been life-changing. "I did Signing Day last year with MEDIC EMS. It's definitely changed my future career plans. I still am going to college, but I'm going to pursue going to Paramedic School." She says she's excited that today's student signees will get to experience what she did.

The Registered High School Apprenticeship program has been steadily growing in the Quad Cities, but our area has more interested students than business partners. If you are an interested business looking to grow your workforce, contact the Chamber for more information. 

Here’s the full list of 2024 Registered High School Apprenticeship program signees: 

Bettendorf Community School District 

• Braden Cullison, Welder, John Deere 
• Aiden Haut, Welder, John Deere 
• Cole Neece, Welder, Boyler’s Ornamental Iron 
• Judah O’Grady, Welder, John Deere 

Davenport Community School District

• Carter Booker, Welder, John Deere 
• Owen Burk,  Welder, McLaughlin Body Company 
• Memphis Cress, Welder, John Deere 
• Arianna Dolph, Software Engineer, John Deere
• Hailey Finken, Welder, John Deere 
• Mahki Hubbard, Welder, John Deere 
• Jackson Hughes, Software Engineer, John Deere
• Karsten Hulme, Software Engineer, John Deere 
• Honesty Johnston, Welder, John Deere 
• Carter Osborne, Welder, McLaughlin Body Company 
• Toni Reimers, Welder, John Deere 
• Greyson Schneider, Software Engineer, John Deere  
• Hannah Schreiber, Welder, McLaughlin Body Company 
• Brody Stock, Welder, McLaughlin Body Company
• Hunter Strong, Electrican, Davenport Electric Coontract Company 
• Josh Strothers, Welder, Allredi 

Moline – Coal Valley Community School District #40 

• Anthony Campbell, CNC Machinist, Bowe Machine  
• William Campbell, CNC Machinist, Lewis Machine & Tool Company 
• Victor Casiano, Welder, John Deere Harvester Works  
• Maclain Drucker, CNC Machinist, MA Ford  
• Matthew Herrick, Welder, John Deere Harvester Works  
• Tori Kaesbauer-Luker, CNC Machinist, John Deere Cylinder Works  
• Abhik Mostafa, CNC Machinist, Lewis Machine & Tool Company  
• Tatum Rogers, CNC Machinist, Arconic  
• Noah Savala, Welder, John Deere Harvester Works  
• Reid Schelker, CNC Machinist, Bowe Machine  
• Andrew Stoltz, CNC Machinist, Arconic   
• Jorge Vega, Welder, John Deere Harvester Works  
• Drew Wise, Welder, John Deere Seeding  

North Scott Community School District  

• Aaron Carstens, Welder, Climate Engineers  
• Jameson Christensen, CNC Machinist at Bowe Machine  
• Hunter Dean, Welder, John Deere  
• Dawsan Dufloth, Welder, Oertel Metal Works  
• Carlos Kennedy, Welder, Oertel Metal Works  
• Aidan McLaughlin, CNC Machinist at Jewell Group  
• Austin Reed, Welder, John Deere  
• Blake Schmitt, Welder, Invio Automation  
• Greysen Tuftee, Welder, Oertel Metal Works  
• Jackson Wood, Welder, John Deere  

Rock Island-Milan School District #41 

• Caleb Carpenter, Welder, John Deere  
• Grace Hathaway, CNA , UnityPoint Health-Trinity  
• Jolena Lannen, CNA , UnityPoint Health-Trinity  
• Colton Klossing, Welder, John Deere  
• Kyleigha Mejia, CNA, UnityPoint Health-Trinity  
• Layla Rice, CNA, UnityPoint Health-Trinity  
• Lyric Rice, CNA. UnityPoint Health-Trinity  
• Kaleb VanCoillie, Welder, John Deere  

United Township Community School District #30 

• Leonardo Chimal, Software Engineer, John Deere  
• Nathanael Hayford, Software Engineer, John Deere  
• Carson Killam, Software Engineer, John Deere  
• Delayne Sanderson, Software Engineer, John Deere  

The Area Career Center at United Township  

• Anthony Bialobrzeski, Welder, McLaughlin Body Company  
• Ethan Brandom, Welder, McLaughlin Body Company  
• Emily Caudela-Cortez, Welder, John Deere Harvester Works 
• Kristine Harmon, welder John Deere Harvester Works 
• Chase Hixson, auto body mechanic at Automotive Central Full Service Auto Repair
• Jacob Mcleod, auto body mechanic at Zimmerman Honda 
• Madysen Morris, welder John Deere Harvester Works 
• Kylen Payne, welder John Deere Harvester Works 
• Logan Selander, welder at John Deere Harvester Works 
• Bawi Tluang, auto body mechanic at McLaughlin Motors Body Shop  
• Brady Whitcomb, welder at John Deere Harvester Works