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NEW TRAINING OPTIONS PUT STUDENTS ON THE ROAD TO A NEW CAREER
-MOORE
Many people in the Lake Land community have seen the college’s CDL trucks on the road, sporting their eye-catching new wraps. What they may not know though is that not only are the wraps new, but the trucks pulling these trailers are new to the college program as well.
“The trucks we had before were from 2004 and 2006,” Transportation Training Coordinator Justin Onigkeit said. “These new ones are a lot more up-to-date and closer to what students will actually be using in the workforce.”
Students in the CDL program are now able to gain experience with navigation and dash cameras, giving instructors the ability to provide visual feedback on the students’ work. The program will also be getting a new simulator for students to train on in early 2022.
“It’s much more experiential training than just getting in a truck and going,” Director to Center for Business & Industry Bonnie Moore said.
The CDL program will also see changes in curriculum as new federal regulations going into effect in February 2022 are set to modify the current format. Because CDL students will need to take classes from a registered provider to earn their qualifications, the class will be extending in length as well as content.
“The students will have less to learn once they get into the industry,” Onigkeit said. “A lot of what they will be learning in our classes was previously taught by employers. This way, there will be less of a learning curve for students entering the workforce.” “The cool part is that people looking to earn their CDL license are able to take the theory or classroom portion of the course from any provider on the federal registry,” Moore said. “So we could have online students from places as far as California taking our classes.”
NEW MANUFACTURING MODULES
Students in manufacturing classes have also experienced the upgraded technology available in the new manufacturing lab. A newly integrated computer system and the opportunity to train on both a Fanuc and MotoMan robot provides a comprehensive training option for manufacturing students. “Some employers use only one software or the other,” Technical Training Specialist-CBI Randy Strohl said of the two robots.
“They generally do the same thing, but offering both gives students experience with both versions to make them more marketable to future employers.”
With the versatility provided by new equipment comes updated program models. Instead of requiring students to take full courses to earn credit, the labs and classes will be modularized. This will allow students to complete skills check-offs so they may only need to take portions of the courses that apply to their areas of skill-building needs versus having to be present for the full course. “We want to provide our students and their employers with the best and most efficient experience possible,” Moore said. “Our priority is making certain we effectively provide for our students’ training needs.”
Lake Land College newly wrapped CDL training truck.
NEW APPRENTICESHIPS NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Strohl
The Center for Business & Industry is growing apprenticeship partnerships in the area, providing hands-on training to build a highly-skilled workforce throughout the Lake Land College district.
Newly established partnerships include apprenticeship training with North American Lighting and Quad Graphics.
In Fall 2021, the center began offering a registered apprenticeship program for industrial maintenance mechanic through the Illinois Department of Labor.
Director to Center for Business & Industry Bonnie Moore said the college is also considering options for offering CDL and plastic injection molding apprenticeships. Moore said the training related to these apprenticeships will be limited to one or two days each week, depending on the program.
“This training can provide a lot of value to employers,” Moore said. “It’s a great way for workers to develop valuable skills while continuing their employment.”
The training and equipment offered is mobile, so it can be delivered on-site, at a Lake Land College facility or at a thirdparty location. Some training programs and courses may also qualify for grant funding.
