East Peoria, IL (07/01/2022) — Illinois Central College (ICC) is now accepting applications to its Information Technology (IT) apprenticeship program. Established in 2019, this ongoing partnership between ICC and local IT employers train participants in high-demand fields while they begin their IT degree or certificate. The program provides students with a clearer pathway to job placement.

"This program has allowed us to identify passionate and talented young, local professionals and develop them over the course of a few years into certified, full-time employees that hit the ground running," stated Matt Bainter, Caterpillar Global Information Systems.

There are currently over 100 participants (pre-apprentice and apprentices) working with more than ten partner companies, including: Caterpillar Inc., Idea Entity, Accenture, OSF Healthcare, and Timbuktech.

ICC apprentice and student Casey Lowe said, "This program has supported me in many ways, not only with school but with completing various certifications. It's been great to get the opportunity to complete projects for the company, basically to be given the ability to learn from every angle."

Anyone interested in the program is encouraged to apply at https://icc.edu/apprenticeships. The pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeship opportunities vary based on the program and the employer, but completion can be expected in one to three years.

Employers interested in developing a custom IT Apprenticeship program to meet their specific business needs can contact ICC at 309-690-6929 or apprenticeships@icc.edu. For more information visit https://icc.edu/apprenticeships.

Illinois Central College is a two-year community college with campuses in East Peoria, Peoria, and Pekin, Illinois providing a high-quality, affordable education to prepare students to enter the workforce or to transfer to a four-year college or university. For more information on ICC, visit icc.edu.