Partners in High School Career Learning

An Athens High School student creates a sheet metal box at the Smart Lab with the Sheet Metal Workers Union.

Lincoln Land Community College and the Sangamon Menard Regional Office of Education 51 are working together to provide area students the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) high school program. High school students are attending LLCC for two hours in the afternoon each weekday to explore construction apprenticeships and network with commercial contractors, trade unions and industry leaders in Sangamon and Menard counties. The program includes hands-on labs and field trips to work sites. Students will work on a construction project throughout the school year; then, during the last quarter of the program, students will spend three days a week in a paid internship at a job site based on the trade they want to explore. This opportunity is in the afternoon to coincide with the vocational buses to ensure that transportation would not be a barrier to students interested in exploring the trades.

A grant provided by the Illinois Community College Board gives participating students free tools, work boots and personal protective equipment. At the end of the program, students will have completed BDM 102: Introduction to Construction Occupation and ELM 101: Workplace Safety Certification, together totaling four college credits. Students will also earn certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research and be trained in OSHA 10 construction safety, CPR, forklift and aerial lift usage. 


Above, an Athens High School student uses equipment at the Smart Lab with the Sheet Metal Workers Union.

"We're excited to partner with LLCC and the construction trades unions in central Illinois to expand the MC3 program," said Shannon Fehrholz, regional superintendent, Sangamon Menard Regional Office of Education 51. "This program offers a unique blend of academic rigor and practical training, enabling students to gain a competitive edge while still in high school. By partnering with local businesses and industry experts, the program provides our students with unparalleled opportunities to engage in meaningful internships, apprenticeships and hands-on projects that align with their career aspirations."

“I believe this expansion will greatly contribute to attracting much-needed new talent to our industry and equip them for real-work construction experiences,” said Mike O’Shea, president of O’Shea Builders. “Additionally, the inclusion of a full-year curriculum on trade apprenticeships and construction management, followed by an eight-week paid internship, showcases the program's comprehensive approach to preparing students for successful careers in the field."


Above, three Athens High School students learn how to bend conduit from Scott Hill, I.B.E.W. Local 193.

The following businesses and organizations are participating by providing instruction and/or internship opportunities:

• O'Shea Builders
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (I.B.E.W.) Local 193
• I.B.E.W. 51 (outdoor wiremen, linemen)
• Pipefitters Local 137
• Brick Layers Local 8 of Illinois
• Carpenters Local 270
• Iron Workers Local 46
• Operating Engineers Local 965
• Sheet Metal Workers Local 218
• Roofers Local 112
• Painters District Council 58 Local 90
• Laborers’ Local 477
• Teamsters Local 916
• Glaziers Local 1168
• OPCMIA Local 18
• Mid-Illinois Companies
• E.L. Pruitt Co.
• Henson Robinson Company
• Selvaggio Steel
• Otto Baum Company
• B&B Electric
• Senergy Electric
• United Contractors Midwest (UCM).

For further information on this program, please contact Christopher Edmonds at Christopher.Edmonds@llcc.edu.

Joann Benz of Athens High School is an ISCA Board Director.