Centralia, Ill. (April 27, 2026) Apprenticeship programs create skilled employees, and the programs bolster local businesses by giving them a direct pipeline to talented, educated employees. National Apprenticeship Week runs April 26 – May 2, and Kaskaskia College (KC) is highlighting the impact of apprenticeships across a variety of industries in the region.

KC partners with multiple businesses throughout the area, including North American Lighting, Conagra Brands, Continental Tire, Intermountain Electronics and many more to create apprenticeships. Kaskaskia College student Andrew Bochantin recently became the first KC student to complete the Transit Bus Technician Apprenticeship with South Central Transit.

“South Central Transit approached automotive instructors at KC requesting students to fill positions for a bus mechanic,” KC Dean of Workforce Engagement & Industrial Career Services Joy Fitts said. “To meet this need, we sat down with their team and designed an apprenticeship program. After program approval from the Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, SCT identified an applicant they felt would be a good candidate, and Andrew joined SCT and the apprenticeship training program in the fall of 2024. While enrolled at KC, Andrew worked part-time at SCT, and after finishing his courses, he is now a full-time employee.”

Students receive on-the-job training at the local companies during their apprenticeship, and Kaskaskia College supplements that experience with technical education on campus in the classroom. Together, it creates a perfect mix of training from the employer and an educational component, leading to a highly skilled employee once the apprenticeship is complete. Throughout the apprenticeship program, Fitts stated Andrew gained skills training from both SCT and Kaskaskia College’s Automotive program. Both Andrew and SCT were able to benefit greatly from the apprenticeship program.

“The apprenticeship program is flexible,” Fitts said. “When we meet with employers, we try to understand what they need and the workforce challenges they face. Employers can choose courses KC offers to build a program that best meets their needs. For example, one employer wanted their apprentices to have specific training from both of KC’s Welding and Industrial Technology programs. The employer chose courses from each program to ensure their apprentices were trained in skills they needed to be successful in their careers. Each apprenticeship program is unique. Some programs follow a certificate or degree route; others are built using a variety of programs and courses to meet employers’ needs.”

An apprenticeship is a paid work-based learning program, providing students with employment while they are enrolled in school. As students work through an apprenticeship, they receive wage increases. Employers set a starting wage for incoming apprentices. Then, as students proceed through the program and gain more skills, they receive wage increases. At the end of the program, apprentices earn more than they did when they started. Businesses that partner with KC to host apprentices also benefit by recruiting and developing a highly skilled workforce, growing their own talent, and receiving a tax credit for qualified educational expenses between $3,500-$5,000.

While many people think of apprenticeships as being in the trades, Fitts emphasized apprenticeships can be created in any field, and the program can be customized through KC’s apprenticeship department. The college has worked with employers in healthcare and education to create apprenticeship programs in paramedicine, nursing, and early childhood education.

For any student interested in becoming an apprentice, or for any business interested in establishing an apprenticeship program, click here.

Kaskaskia College is a public community college in Centralia, Illinois, within South Central Illinois District 501, serving all or part of nine counties, including Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Marion, Washington, Jefferson, St. Clair, Madison, and Montgomery. Committed to making education accessible, Kaskaskia College offers training programs at the Centralia Crisp Manufacturing and Trades Center and has education centers in Greenville, Nashville, Salem, Trenton, and Vandalia, Illinois. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the college, which offers a broad spectrum of degrees, programs, and certification options, specializing in 2-year associate degrees and trade school programs. Founded in 1940, Kaskaskia College was the first Class I Community College established in Illinois.