Apprenticeships in the spotlight at Heartland Community College

NORMAL (25News Now) - Heartland Community College kicked off National Apprentice Week with a signing ceremony and a reminder that apprenticeships provide a direct pipeline between students and employers.

The ceremony recognized students and participating employers including Rivian, Carle Health, Ferrero and Bridgestone.

Students involved in apprenticeship programs receive associate degrees of applied science in their field of study.

During the ceremony, the college was given the go-ahead to establish a new apprenticeship for registered nursing.

The goal is to get students ready for the workforce, said Curt Rendall, the executive director of program development and innovation.

“They really span the intergenerational divide where right now people are more and more hesitant to take on debt and go to college, and they’re not sure if they’re going to like the occupation they go into, well this makes that match right up front,” said Rendall.

“People are invested in, they feel loyalty to the company, and it really increases the amount of time that employees are with the company, Rendall also said.

“Apprenticeships offer a direct pipeline for employers to strengthen their workforce with tailored, high-quality talent,” said Heartland President Keith Cornille in a prepared statement.

“It is wonderful to see our industry partners support these students who are seizing the opportunity to develop new training and skills,” Cornille also said.

National Apprenticeship Week runs until Sunday, Nov. 19.

Copyright 2023 WEEK. All rights reserved.