THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE RELEASE
DANVILLE — Danville Area Community College recently received a $300,000 grant through Illinois WorkNet to provide apprenticeship training in the building trades. The program runs throughout 2023 and looks to serve nearly 30 area residents seeking careers in carpentry, plumbing, and construction.
As a U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship program, DACC can begin registering students immediately for classes that will begin in February. As Business & Technology Dean Terri Cummings says, “We’re making use of our alliance with Vermilion County Works to build a cohort of students who can get started right away.”
DACC classes will be customized to fit the needs of local employers and unions. As Lead Instructor Greg Hansbraugh says, “We’re using our existing classes to allow the enrollees to earn a DACC certificate. We’ll be partnering with the trade unions—mostly carpenters or plumbers. The graduates will have an opportunity to apply for a union apprenticeship with these companies.”
The grant foots the bill completely for these students. As Mr. Hansbraugh says, “Not only will their tuition and fees be paid, students will also earn money while attending classes.”
DACC’s Chief Academic Officer Dr. Carl Bridges says that this year’s goal is to “meet and exceed the grant’s goals, which is to provide training and jobs for the student apprentices.” If DACC is successful, the grant could be renewed over the next few years.
As for the grant’s long-range goal, Mr. Hansbraugh says “it’s for Illinois to have training facilities established throughout the State based on proven community-college partnerships with unions and employers.”
While looking to continue to support apprenticeships in building trades, DACC is also working with a local energy company and union to develop a similar program to train solar- and cell-tower technicians.
For more information or to apply for the Illinois WorkNet apprenticeship program, contact Greg Hansbraugh at 217.443.8579, or g.hansbraugh@dacc.edu
