BETTENDORF, Iowa — It's a big head start for 72 high school students — signing their commitment to apprenticeships in the Quad Cities.
The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce hosted a ceremony on May 10 at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf.
Some of the speakers were Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher, Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R).
The opportunities are part of the chamber's High School Registered Apprenticeship program which connects local businesses with schools in the community.
For Pleasant Valley High School graduate Clayton Shelton, the opportunity has been a dream come true.
"My teachers understood that I was super involved in my class, and I actually wanted to be there," Shelton said. "An administrator at my school asked me if I'd like to do this apprenticeship out of the blue, and it was a risk that I was willing to take."
Shelton currently works for Arconic as a maintenance machinist apprentice, while taking courses at the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges.
"I'm now making enough money that I can support myself, and I'm happy where I'm at," he said. "I'm financially stable, and I'm working towards bettering myself."
According to Future Ready Iowa, 91% of apprentices who complete an apprenticeship are still employed nine months later.
Students like Shelton agreed that the opportunities provide financial security and a bright future career-wise.
"I'd really like to work towards buying myself my first house and becoming even more financially stable." he said.
Students also said that such strong opportunities make them more willing to stay in the area.
"I don't like going out west or out east — the Quad Cities is really a good spot to settle down," Shelton said.
Big businesses and small outlets recognize that they need to provide opportunities.
"I think it's phenomenal for the companies to have this breadth of talent ready to come in, be interested, be trained, learn the skills," Eckhart general manager Travis Turner said, whose company was one of the original businesses involved at the start of the program. "Businesses have to create the vision, and communicate the vision that opportunity doesn't just exist on the coast."
Turner said the program has grown dramatically over time. He said in 2019, there were less than 20 students signing on.
"You have a career path beyond a particular segment, these skills are going to be good for you your whole life," he said.
Turner added that more businesses, big or small should be open to the idea of apprenticeships, to grow local talent ahead of time to avoid job shortages.
"Everyone can attest to the fact it's difficult to go out and just hire the right talent," Turner said. "I think more people need to focus on growing the right talent, and there's no better place to do that than right here."
At the event, Gov. Reynolds also signed SF 318 into law, which aims to improve apprenticeship opportunities in Iowa.
The act will establish an Iowa Office of Apprenticeship, with its main role for accrediting apprenticeship programs across the state.
The act will also create an apprenticeship council, advising the Department of Workforce Development on how to build new bylaws supporting apprenticeship in Iowa.
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