College’s CWD Sponsors First IT Apprenticeship

The first Information Technology-focused apprenticeship was recently completed through a partnership between East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD) and WEG Transformers USA. Erick Voss, a network and computer systems administrator at WEG, successfully finished a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Registered Apprenticeship program tailored to IT positions, marking the first of its kind at ECC.

Voss acquired proficiency in Microsoft Azure tools and online Azure programs, emphasizing the significance of cloud computing. Additionally, he received training in cybersecurity tools provided by Cisco. Voss highlighted the opportunity to select training that would be most beneficial for his role at WEG USA.

“I learned commands and tools for troubleshooting and networking, and I gained insights into detailed cybersecurity threats and the best ways to combat them,” he stated.

WEG’s human resources department recommended the apprenticeship to Voss and collaborated directly with the CWD. “I highly recommend this to my coworkers in IT because it can be tailored to any skill set,” he added.

Melissa Richards, ECC’s CWD apprenticeship and business training program coordinator, mentioned that CWD partnered with SAFAL Partners, a DOL intermediary offering training resources and apprenticeship expertise for sponsors like ECC. She highlighted that ECC utilized DOL funding to create this customized apprenticeship, with registrations and validations provided by the DOL.

“Industry partners like SAFAL enable ECC to expand into new areas of training and study, as we are primarily involved in manufacturing apprenticeships,” Richards explained. “We are always seeking to broaden our apprenticeship offerings and fields of study for all industries in our service region.

“Programs like this enable us to customize and tailor training to a company, a department, or a specific employee so they receive the training they need in an area of study relevant to their work or career advancement.”

To learn more about registered apprenticeships through ECC’s CWD, visit our Registered Apprenticeships page or call 636-649-5800.