By: Lianne G Sundberg, Vice President, Simplex Systems Control

We had heard about apprenticeships off and on for the last eight years through various sources, including; webinars, our marketing group, and the associations we belong to (VIA and TMA). Then recently, we have learned more about apprenticeships through our high school interns and our local community college, College of DuPage.

We are a small manufacturing business, and the effort and knowledge needed for us to do our own apprenticeship was prohibitive. But the ease and facilitation of an apprenticeship through the College of DuPage Project Hire-Ed, and the DuPage Regional Work-Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeship Collaborative (powered by GPS Education Partners) from the area high schools allowed us to pursue an apprenticeship. 

Our first apprentice began working with us during his senior year of high school. We recently worked with the College of DuPage Project Hire-Ed to transition him from a Youth Apprentice/Student Learner to a Registered Apprentice with the College of DuPage. The process has been seamless for the student and us, and all necessary paperwork and filing dates were well communicated. Partnering with Project Hire-Ed has allowed us to have and maintain an apprenticeship with a young and talented employee. 

Over the last few years, we struggled with labor shortages and have found that apprenticeship programs are an excellent source for hiring employees. Hiring apprentices benefits both the employee and the company. Other benefits are that current employees can also take classes or training as necessary, and soft skill training of mentorship and coaching are provided to the company at no cost.