PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2022

S P O T L I G H T

FIND A CAREER, EARN WHILE YOU LEARN, AVOID DEBT Apprenticeship programs are plentiful in central Illinois

BY AMY TALCOTT PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON, MIKE BAILEY

T he skilled trades historically have a reput at ion for being stable, well-paying careers. While employment opportunities in many industries ebb and flow, skilled tradespeople such as plumbers, carpenters and electricians continue to be in demand. Central Illinois employs about 6,000 skilled trade workers in 15 different construction crafts. Much of the success of the area trades is due to robust apprenticeship programs, which enable individuals to “learn and earn” by receiving classroom instruction and paid work experience on their way to earning professional credentials and certifications. CENTRALLY LOCATED OPPORTUNITIES James Dillon is associate director of the West Central Illinois Building & ConstructionTradesCouncil (WCIBCTC), a 15,000-member-strong alliance of 15 craft unions. In addition to facilitating connections between apprentices and contractors,WCIBCTCprovides detailed information on each apprenticeship program including a description of the trade, wage information and recommended preparatory classes. “The central Illinois area is fortunate

high schools as far as exposing kids to a parallel path to the college route,” he said, “and I’ve seen an increase in the number of applicants right out of high school.” That interest is due in part to programs like P.E.R.F.E.C.T. (Peoria Educational Region for Employment and Career Training), a program that delivers and supports Career and Technical Education (CTE) to area high school students. In partnershipwith the Peoria Area Labor Management Council and Tri-County Construction Labor Management Council (PALM/TRICON), students can experience a number of trades, select one they like and spend a semester interning with a contractor while they continue attending school. For high school graduates or those with GEDs, the Peoria LC-Highway Construction Careers Training Pro gram offers an intensive 12-week program that focuses on math, job readiness, technical skills coursework, an OSHA 10-hour certification and first aid/CPR certification. There’s also Illinois Central College’s Earn and Learn program, which pro vides participants 300 to 450 hours of coursework for each year of apprentice ship, along with a guaranteedminimum hourly payment and coverage of the cost of tuition, fees and books.

that most of the apprenticeship programs are located right here,” said Dillon. In fact, WCIBCTC supports and facilitates training and education programs for 17 different crafts throughout a 13-county area in west central Illinois, including carpenters, electricians, operating engineers, steamfitters, plumbers and ironworkers. The average age of an individual entering an apprenticeship program is 26, but due to increased exposure to the skilled trades in local high schools, younger people are choosing to pursue those careers. Brandon Currie is training admin istrator at Peoria Area Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATC). “I’ve seenmore interest fromthe AN ALTERNATIVE TO FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE

64 AUGUST 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE