A special event honoring 14 young people who will become apprentices at Continental Tire The Americas was held recently at the plant’s Mt. Vernon facility.
One of the apprentices will attend Kaskaskia College and the rest will be getting their education at Rend Lake College. Continental will pay for all school, books and fees for the students to get their Associate’s Degree in Industrial Electronics Maintenance.
The students will work 20 to 28 hours per week when school is in session and 40 hours per week on school breaks. The apprentices are eligible for part-time benefits including paid vacations at Continental.
Full-time employment opportunities are available upon completion of the program which takes three years to complete. The first class of apprentices will graduate in May of 2024. Journeyman cards are earned upon completion of the program.
Continental is partnering with Kaskaskia College and Rend Lake College on the program.
The students participating in the program are Tyler Asbury, Du Quoin; Gavin Ingram, McLeansboro; Mitchell Miller, Centralia; Brendan Parkes, Mt. Vernon; Jacob Uhl, Mt. Vernon; Jesse Chobanian, Bluford; Avery Grimes, Sesser; Jackson Mills, Mt. Vernon; Eli Rushing, Steelville; Gabriel Bishop, Mt. Vernon; Christopher Piper, Mt. Vernon; Benjamin Hill, West Frankfort; Brier Eck, McLeansboro; and Aaron Koenig, Mt. Vernon.
Pictured above: Continental Tire The Americas’ Plant Manager Nik Pearce addresses the company’s new apprentices and their families at a ceremony recently at its Mt. Vernon facility. Continental is partnering with Kaskaskia College and Rend Lake College on the apprentice program. Continental will take care of all the costs for the students’ education and the apprentices will work part-time while attending school. Full-time positions are available after graduating from the program which takes three years to complete.
