Industrial Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Established at Local Manufacturer
Creation Date: 05/29/2026
Apprenticeships give students the chance to gain hands-on experience, earn while they learn, and build real pathways into high-demand careers through partnerships. Local employer Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) attended Apprenticeship Roundtable events held by Man-Tra-Con Corporation and expressed interest in developing an Apprenticeship Program for Industrial Maintenance Technicians. Through discussions, it was determined that students were working at IPG while taking courses at John A. Logan College (JALC), which made the link to the RTI required for the program even easier to find. The program was quickly established, and an Apprentice has already been enrolled. Current apprentice Jason Ralston knows the value first-hand. “You have problems that show up that won’t show up in class. There are a lot of other things, variables, on a job site that are different from those in class that you can’t control. So you learn a lot more.” He also shared what the experience has meant beyond the job itself. "They really want to make sure I succeed," said Ralston. "It’s like a big family there.” “IPG is proud to have Jason Ralston on our team,” said Glenn Edwards, CI Process Manager at IPG. “He is doing an excellent job applying his educational knowledge in electrical maintenance at IPG. He has a bright future ahead of him.” Jason graduated in May and plans to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale to become an Electrical Engineer.