High schoolers learn about apprenticeships workshop

Photo by Greg Ney Photography

Apprenticeships provide pathways many students can take to get into a career quickly. College of Lake County (CLC) and Aon, a global professional services firm and CLC partner, showed high school students in My Brother’s Keeper Alliance an inside look to explore apprenticeships and helped them practice important professional skills at CLC recently.

My Brother’s Keeper Alliance is a cross-sector national call to action focused on building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color where they feel valued and have clear pathways to opportunity.

“This was a great opportunity for our young men to have exposure and meet different industry experts,” said My Brother's Keeper Alliance Special Advisor Trey Baker. “They can connect and see themselves in and potentially have an opportunity after high school.”

Meeting with professionals, students from Vernon Hills High School and Libertyville High School engaged in development sessions including networking, interview practice and resume preparation.

“The biggest thing I gained was a sense of confidence when it comes to talking to other professionals,” said Libertyville High School student Caesar Vela-Mesta. “Having conversations with people that are older than me and have more experience helped me learn.”

“I feel like one of the biggest things was learning how to really speak in a professional setting and getting an opportunity to put that into effect with the interviews,” said Vernon Hills High School student Lucas Tyderek.

Aon, which has an office in Lincolnshire, has been a CLC apprenticeship partner since 2020 and has grown from four to 13 apprentices a year.

This event was the first of its kind at CLC. Not only did high school students learn about what Aon can offer, but also experiences at CLC in general. The students also got a chance to see themselves at a college campus.

“Apprenticeships are an opportunity to get an associate degree or certificate while getting hands-on experience in the career field - plus, you have your tuition paid for,” said CLC Apprenticeship Manager Dan Ortego. “It's an alternative to a four-year school. We truly promote it as a career pathway.”

For more information about apprenticeships, contact Dan Ortego at cjpc.apprenticeships@clcillinois.edu or visit www.clcillinois.edu/why-clc/how-does-clc-help-me-to-afford-college/become-an-apprentice