The newly developed Youth Registered Apprenticeship Program at Four Rivers Career Center held its inaugural signing day event on Friday, February 26.
A total of 33 FRCC students in various programs from high schools throughout the area signed on and were hired by local companies in their respective fields of study.
The Department of Labor officially approved the FRCC Youth Registered Apprenticeship (YRA) program standards as a nationally recognized and registered intermediary. The FRCC stands as the newest YRA program in Missouri Career and Technical Education.
To land these jobs, the students divided up their school days to incorporate paid, on-site training through the FRCC Youth Registered Apprenticeship program affiliated with 11 school systems across the county. The program launched in the summer of 2020, and there are currently over 40 students enrolled.
Andy Robinson, FRCC Director, Andrea Wieland, Career and College Specialist, and Cynthia Walker, Apprenticeship Coordinator, laid the ground work through effective internship (pre-apprenticeship) programs with their industry relevant instructors.
About half of all manufacturing and skilled trade employers in the state are facing a shortage in staff, according to the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development’s 2019 report. That number gets closer to 60 percent in non-metro areas.
The industries need the younger generation to fill posts as a large portion of the workforce retires, explained Walker. About one-quarter of all manufacturing employees in the U.S. are 55 or older, according to the United Census Bureau.
“These are the kids who are going to change the trajectory of the workforce,” Walker said. “These young men and young women, they’re our future.”
Only the top students in the FRCC get apprenticeships, Walker said. They need to be at least 16 years of age, have a 95 percent attendance rate or better and maintain a 2.5 grade-point average minimum, among other requirements.
The signing day on February 26 involved 24 companies and follows months of work by the students in apprenticeships.
Below are a list of the student apprentices, their school, occupation, and the company they signed to join.
Information Technology
Lucas Rufkahr, Washington, Technology, School District of Washington
Collision Repair
Matthew Strugari, Union, Automotive Body Repair, Pro Body Works, Inc.
Shane Sargent, Wright City, Automotive Body Repair, Gastorf Chevrolet
Engineering
Clairese Kluba, Washington, Mechanical Engineering Technician, Kluba Machine, Inc.
Landon Kleekamp, Washington, Mechanical Engineering Technician, Computech Manufacturing Company
Building Trades
Morgan Phinney, Washington, Jasper Quality Construction
Nathan Schwoeppe, Washington, Jasper Quality Construction
Marcus Rogala, Washington, Tuepker Brothers Construction
Rory Jacquin, Washington, Carpenter, Westerfeld General Contracting
Cameron Michel, Hermann, Carpenter, Cheltenham Construction Service
Wade Hoffman, St. Clair, Carpenter, Cheltenham Construction Service
Nash Vehige, Wright City, Carpenter, Demien Construction
Michael Beard, Union, Carpenter, Fregalette Construction
Automotive Technology
Logan Gerard, Union, Automotive Technician Specialist, Modern Auto Company
Logan Stemler, Pacific, Automotive Technician Specialist, Modern Auto Company
Gavin McIntyre, Pacific, Automotive Technician Specialist, Riechers Tire & Auto
Michael Wayne, Pacific, Automotive Technician Specialist, Plaza Mercedes-Benz
Jack Harnetz, Warrenton, Automotive Technician Specialist, Town and County Garage, Inc.
Ezra Belanger, St. Clair, Automotive Technician Specialist, Straatmann Toyota
Andrew Edgington, Washington, Automotive Technician Specialist, Straatmann Toyota
Logan Williams, Washington, Automotive Technician Specialist, K.J. Unnerstall Construction
Machine Tool
Colton Moritz, Washington, Machinist, GH Tool and Mold
Ethan Strubberg, Washington, Machinist, GH Tool and Mold
Braden Marquart, Washington, Machinist, Homeyer Precision Manufacturing
Nate Harbath, Washington, Machinist, Washington Metal Fabrications
Welding
Tate Kamper, FRCC, Welder Fabricator, Washington Metal Fabrications
Jackten Copeland, Union, Welder Fabricator, Riechers Trunk Bodies
Dominic Maniaci, Wright City, Welder Fabricator, Mittler Bros. Machine & Tool
Seth Ruether, Washington, Welder Fabricator, Sahm Welding and Fabrication
Zachary Schroeder, Borgia, Welder Fabricator, Riechers Trunk Bodies
Nicholas Heibel, Union, Welder Fabricator, Washington Metal Fabrications
Luke Woolfe, Union, Welder Fabricator, Riechers Trunk Bodies
Ethan McNabb, Washington, Welder Fabricator, Riechers Trunk Bodies
Also recognized during the ceremony were Apprentice-Elects:
Machine Tool: Cole Adams and Tanner Sloan
Welding: Dylan Godefroid and Blaine Downey
Building Trades: Hayden Kendall and Anton Krueger
Information Technology: Logan Senecal
Engineering: Luke Spaunhorst
Automotive Technology: Rigo Orozco
Photos of students involved in the Four Rivers Career Center Youth Registered Apprenticeship Signing Day are below.
Representative Aaron Griesheimer, left, presents a proclamation for the Inaugural Apprenticeship Class of 2021 to Four Rivers Career Center Director Andy Robinson.
Wade Johnson of the U.S. Department of Labor/Office of Apprenticeship presents certification of the FRCC Apprenticeship Program to Cynthia Walker, Apprenticeship Coordinator, and Andy Robinson, FRCC Director.
Pictured are Apprentice-Elects in the FRCC Apprenticeship Program.
Pictured is the Four Rivers Career Center’s Inaugural Apprenticeship Class of 2021. Front row, from left, are Andrew Edgington, Ezra Belanger, Logan Stemler, Logan Gerard, Shane Sargent, Braden Marquart, Landon Kleekamp, Luke Woolfe and Colton Moritz. Second row, from left, are Anton Krueger, Marcus Rogala, Hayden Kendall, Morgan Phinney, Clairese Kluba, Jackten Copeland, Nicholas Heibel and Tate Kamper. Third row, from left, are Jack Harnetz, Michael Wayne, Gavin McIntyre, Cameron Michel, Seth Ruether, Rigo Orozco, Ethan McNabb, Dominic Maniaci, Zach Schroeder and Lucas Rufkahr. Fourth row, from left, are Nash Vehige, Wade Hoffman, Michael Beard, Matthew Strugari, Logan Williams, Rory Jacquin, Nate Schwoeppe, Nate Harbath and Logan Senecal. Not pictured are Tanner Sloan, Cole Adams, Dylan Godefroid, Blaine Downey and Ethan Strubberg.
Pictured are Washington High School students who were part of the Four Rivers Career Center’s Inaugural Apprenticeship Class of 2021. Front row, from left, are Andrew Edgington, Marcus Rogala, Braden Marquart, Morgan Phinney, Clairese Kluba, Landon Kleekamp, Colton Moritz and Nate Harbath. Back row, from left, are Seth Ruether, Logan Williams, Rory Jacquin, Nathan Schwoeppe, Ethan McNabb and Lucas Rufkahr. Not pictured is Ethan Strubberg.
