Representatives from the State of Illinois, Apprenticeship Illinois, and Man-Tra-Con Corporation held a State Proclamation and Apprenticeship Program signing event on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW).
NAW was established by the U.S. Department of Labor to showcase and promote high-quality, inclusive, in-demand career pathway opportunities through Registered Apprenticeships.
The event was held at D & D Electric, LLC, in Harrisburg, Illinois, to promote emerging industries during National Apprenticeship Week. D & D Electric, LLC, a family-owned company founded by Dave and Darla Martin, is committed to developing and supporting the renewable energy revolution by installing solar energy projects throughout Southern Illinois and beyond.
D & D Electric currently employs over 50 energy professionals with a variety of “hands-on” experience and expertise. A dedicated supporter of apprenticeship programs from the U.S. Department of Labor, D & D Electric has recently partnered with Man-Tra-Con Corporation and Apprenticeship Illinois to train employees for solar energy installation projects within Southern Illinois. The Apprenticeship Program allows employees to learn skills on the job while getting paid. The program also pays for any tools or supplies participants need to perform the work.
Darrell Hampsten, Southern Region Manager Team RED, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), presented proclamation certificates to D & D Electric and Man-Tra-Con Corporation.
“Apprenticeships are a powerful way to create economic growth across Illinois. By connecting individuals with a skillset with employers, they present not just jobs, but also careers. From manufacturing, healthcare and IT to construction and hospitality, Illinois companies are using apprenticeships to recruit, train, and retain top talent. Apprenticeships are more than jobs, they are pathways for lasting career success,” Darrell Hampsten says.
Man-Tra-Con CEO Robyn Russell states, “Watching these apprenticeships develop and grow is exciting! There is a lot of work that goes in on the front end to get them set up, but you’re setting up to build a career for someone, not just getting them a job, and a partnership is the best way to strengthen these programs and make sure you have buy-in from all the partners. Man-Tra-Con truly appreciates the Employer partners we have and their willingness to help us develop new programs that can be delivered throughout the Southern Illinois region.”
As their business expanded over the years, D & D Electric realized the need for apprenticeship training. “We need to train people, and give them a craft. You watch these guys work alongside the seasoned electricians in the field and it’s amazing what they can pick up. They do classroom work and leadership training as well and you can see it makes such a difference… the class time, plus the on-the-job training… they belong to something,” Dave Martin says.
Apprenticeship participant Domarion Nunez, from Cairo, Illinois, is thankful for the training opportunity. “When I graduated from high school, D & D hired me on with little to no experience, developed me, and now I can do anything on a home solar, everything on a solar farm, basically. It really means a lot. Being young and being from where I’m from, you really don’t have a lot of job opportunities. But, D & D offered me an opportunity to really make some good money and get some good experience,” Domarion Nunez says.
Man-Tra-Con Employer Services Manager Emily Perks is happy to meet with employers to help them set up apprenticeships. “Apprenticeship is a proven model of developing a skilled workforce and we are here to help with that planning process and development,” Emily Perks says.
For more information about the Apprenticeship Program in Illinois, contact Man-Tra-Con Employer Services Manager Emily Perks at 618-998-0970, ext. 202, or email .
