Training for the future: Mendoza visits Marion to check out local apprenticeship program

MARION - Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza paid a visit to Marion last week, stopping by the Laborer's Training Center to take a first hand look at the apprenticeship training program for area high school students.

According to her official host for the visit, Griffin Goetz, assistant administrator for the program, officially known as the "Illinois Laborers' and Contractors Training and Apprenticeship Program," there is a great need throughout the state for programs like this.

"For this program," he said, "we have agreements with seven high schools in southern Illinois, Marion, Herrin, Johnston City, Goreville, Vienna, Cairo, and Carbondale."

There are ten senior students currently enrolled in the two-year program of this inaugural class that will graduate in May, followed later by the fifteen juniors who are set to graduate a year from now.

It's a well-structured program according to Goetz, one that will help prepare the students in numerous skill sets, including how to rake asphalt, pour concrete, set forms, set up scaffolding, and do landscaping.

In addition to that, students who complete the program also receive college credit toward an associates or bachelor's degree.

Among the benefits also available besides high school and college credits to those completing the two year apprentice program is the fact that many of them can slide right into a full-time job should they choose not to pursue a postsecondary education.

Mendoza explained the purpose of her visit.

"Given we're going to have a $45 billion capital plan and I'm responsible for making sure it gets paid out for programs like this, I wanted to see firsthand the benefits being offered to these students," she said.

"A lot of people don't know exactly what the Comptroller's office does, but it's a nexus of everything that's happening in the state. "