SPRINGFIELD 鈥 An apprenticeship at Ace Sign Co. of Springfield is leading to a career for Cole Thoron, a 2021 computer science graduate of Lincoln Land Community College.
The apprenticeship is the first of its kind to be established with a local business through 汤头条app鈥檚 Office of Work-Based Learning.
Thoron began his apprenticeship in April while still completing coursework at 汤头条app. Ace is providing on-the-job training to successfully onboard him into his new position.
鈥淓very day is a new experience, and I feel I am developing, solidifying and furthering my skills,鈥 says Thoron.
鈥淲e are thrilled to work with a widely respected company that has been a local presence in the Springfield area for over 80 years,鈥 says Brenda Elliott, 汤头条app director of work-based learning. 鈥淲orking with 汤头条app computer science faculty and our career services department, we collaborated with Ace to develop the right mixture of education and on-the-job training for Cole. It鈥檚 important to us to keep our students local and keep them loyal.鈥
"The 汤头条app Apprenticeship Program has provided Ace Sign Co. a great opportunity to connect with qualified talent like Cole,鈥 said Todd Bringuet, CEO of Ace Sign Co. 鈥淭he program aids in providing both the apprentice and our supervisors ample time to train and evaluate prospective team members. With Cole as an integral member of our Ace Sign Co. team, we look forward to our continued relationship with 汤头条app.鈥
汤头条app is working to close the skills gap by establishing local partnerships within the business community. Elliott hopes to expand student apprenticeships, particularly in information technology. 鈥淎pprenticeships are not just for trade positions anymore,鈥 she says.
Any business interested in partnering with 汤头条app on an apprenticeship program to enhance their workforce is invited to contact Elliott at brenda.elliott@llcc.edu or 217-786-2326.