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麻豆传媒映画 Hosts First Illinois Youth Apprentice
Meredith Yoch starts her days at 6 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. But instead of driving straight to Downers Grove North High School, her first classroom of the day is on the job site of 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 construction project in Westmont, Ill
That鈥檚 where Meredith earns while she learns as part of her youth apprenticeship with 麻豆传媒映画. The three-month-long apprenticeship marks the first of its kind in construction for the high school and is 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 first youth apprenticeship in the state. 麻豆传媒映画 also offers youth apprenticeships in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan and is introducing them in Oklahoma later this year.
A Long-Time Vision Becomes Reality
Ryan Yoho, area manager, for has long wanted a youth apprentice on a job site. Ali Burke, project manager, Rob Stadler, superintendent and James Quinn, safety manager, expressed interest in hosting a youth apprentice on the 44,160 SF two-story medical office building job site. They recognized that Downers Grove North High School was just a few blocks away from the job site, making it a convenient location for a student interested in a construction-related youth apprenticeship.
For Ryan, the impetus for a youth apprenticeship was to give a student a sightline into the construction industry. That鈥檚 something he didn鈥檛 have until he was at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
鈥淭hat 鈥榙ay in the life鈥� on the job site, seeing a project come to life, is what made the work real for me,鈥� said Ryan. 鈥淪tudents shouldn鈥檛 have to wait until college to have awareness, and with the labor shortage in the industry nationwide, we need more exposure to students before they finish high school.鈥�
He had an ally in the entire team on the job site that helped make the apprenticeship a reality.
鈥淲hen Ryan brought this up, I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of as I didn鈥檛 have these opportunities in high school,鈥� said Ali.
Rob and Ali reached out to Downers Grove North High School, only to learn none of the school鈥檚 current construction work-based learning opportunities offered an internship or apprenticeship on a construction job site. That prompted involvement by Allison Knautz, workforce development manager, to structure an apprenticeship to meet the state鈥檚 work-based learning requirements, comply with job site safety and meet 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 other expectations. Armed with a plan, Allison connected with Brian Veit, CTE department chair at the high school, who was very receptive to the opportunity.
鈥淲ith growing student interest in the trades, this partnership couldn鈥檛 have come at a better time,鈥� said Brian.
A Full Job Site Effort
After Downers Grove North High School shared the opportunity with its student populace, Meredith visited the job site, spoke to the team and was offered the apprenticeship that started on February 10. Ali and Rob鈥檚 goal: To provide her experience in as many different disciplines, including carpentry, plumbing and electricity.
鈥淲e wanted her to experience as many trades as possible because there is not just one trade pathway,鈥� said Rob.
Meredith鈥檚 apprenticeship experience began with orientation and introductions and quickly shifted into job shadowing diverse types of work. From the moment she stepped on the job site in her personal protection equipment (PPE), Meredith participated in everyday activities alongside the rest of the team, from the stretch and flex to continuous safety improvement forms.
An Apprentice鈥檚 Perspective
Meredith鈥檚 apprenticeship includes advanced hands-on experience under mentor oversight. While summertime work on her grandparents鈥� campground gave Meredith experience in light repairs, the job site has broadened those skill sets. Her job site tasks include everything from building temporary window frames to dismantling a scaffold stairwell, offering opportunities to use the table saw and a variety of other tools.
It has also exposed her to the many touchpoints required in performing work on the job site.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I grasped how difficult the work would be; how much teamwork it takes,鈥� said Meredith. 鈥淚 also wasn鈥檛 expecting to see the production boards with everything planned day by day, week by week. It鈥檚 helpful to visualize the work like that.鈥�
She also has noticed how much communication and camaraderie matter to the work.
鈥淚t鈥檚 become clear how much communication it takes to keep the job flowing as it should,鈥� said Meredith. 鈥淚 like seeing how much of a community there is on a job site.鈥�
In addition, the hands-on activities allowed Meredith to connect dots from the architectural courses she took in high school to the construction industry.
鈥淕etting out here and being part of the actual building is cool,鈥� said Meredith. 鈥淭his has given me a better understanding of the difference between designing and building.”
An Exercise in Self-Discovery
Meredith has discovered a passion for building and is considering a career in carpentry. For now, her future career steps are still to be determined as she decides between pursuing her first passion of auto mechanics or a career in carpentry, electricity or HVAC. Upon graduation from high school in May, she plans to move to Pennsylvania to live with her grandparents. At that time, she will decide which of the universities and trade schools that accepted her is the right fit for her post-secondary education. In the meantime, she is earning high-school credit for her internship as well enjoying the diverse experiences she鈥檚 having on the job site thanks to her apprenticeship.
Rob said the value she has received is a credit to Meredith and her willingness to fully embrace the value and opportunities of the apprenticeship.
鈥淪he鈥檚 really involved out on the job site, and she鈥檚 not afraid to ask people questions to get the answers she needs,鈥� said Rob.
As for the freshmen and sophomores at her school, Meredith says participating in a youth apprenticeship 鈥渋s a good opportunity to see the trades. It鈥檚 worth it because you get to be a part of something important and can look back on it and think, 鈥業 did that,鈥欌�� she said.
As one of her mentors, Ali has enjoyed teaching Meredith about construction so she can make an educated decision about her future career.
鈥淭here are so many trades to choose from, and it鈥檚 about finding your passion,鈥� said Ali. 鈥淚 see Meredith come into the trailer every day with a smile on her face and the team out in the field saying how much they enjoy working with her. We are all excited for Meredith and her future. Even if Meredith decides she鈥檚 more interested in cars, that is still a success because she has had the experience and understands what each trade offers.鈥�
A Pipeline for the Future
Allison credits the entire team on the job site with making the apprenticeship a resounding success for Meredith.
鈥淚t鈥檚 their mentoring and sharing industry knowledge and hands-on instruction that have made this a valuable and positive learning experience for her,鈥� said Allison.
While Meredith鈥檚 apprenticeship finishes in May, the 麻豆传媒映画 team looks forward to offering additional apprenticeships in the future, recognizing it as an important opportunity for talent attraction.
鈥淵outh apprenticeship programs play a crucial role in shaping the construction industry’s future workforce. 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 investment in, and commitment to, youth apprenticeships help to cultivate a skilled and diverse workforce, address the current labor shortage and ensure the industry’s sustainability,鈥� said John Huggett, vice president and general manager.
Interested in becoming a youth apprentice? Visit our skilled trades page to learn more.
About 麻豆传媒映画
麻豆传媒映画 (麻豆传媒映画) is a leading professional construction services firm with customers across the United States and is a subsidiary of The 麻豆传媒映画 Group. Founded in 1889, 麻豆传媒映画 is听an听employee-owned firm headquartered in Appleton, Wis. 麻豆传媒映画 is recognized as a pioneer in Lean construction and in听the industrialized听construction space. 麻豆传媒映画 operates 17 offices across the U.S. that serve customers in healthcare, power, industrial, education, automotive and commercial markets.听
