Parkland Launches Five-Week Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship

The program teaches welding and electrical work to students ages 16 to 24 in Champaign.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Manufacturing

Parkland Launches Five-Week Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship

Live Poll

Do you think local job training programs give people real paths to good careers?

Parkland College launched a five-week manufacturing pre-apprenticeship in October, enrolling 15 students in welding and electrical work. Spots were limited, and the college plans to run the program again.

Why it matters

The program offers young residents of Champaign a structured entry point into skilled manufacturing trades. Its planned repeat suggests the college sees ongoing demand for this kind of training.

The class ran five weeks with 15 students, drawn from applicants ages 16 to 24. No enrollment or outcome figures from prior cohorts were reported.

The players

Parkland College

Parkland College is a public community college in Champaign, Illinois, offering career and technical training programs.

The details

Students learn welding and electrical work during the program. Parkland promotes it through social media, high school counselors and faculty, and its website, and interested individuals submit an interest form to apply.

October 2026: Manufacturing pre-apprenticeship began.
Future date not yet set: Pre-apprenticeship scheduled to run again.

Industry Pipeline

The program serves as a pre-apprenticeship feeder for registered apprenticeship programs administered through the U.S. Department of Labor in manufacturing trades. It gives students foundational welding and electrical skills before they enter those formal programs.

Residents ages 16 to 24 in the Champaign area can submit an interest form to Parkland College to be considered for the pre-apprenticeship. Because spots were limited, applying early when the program runs again is the practical step.

The takeaway

Short programs like this one can give young people a concrete first step into skilled trades. Anyone interested should watch for the next session announcement from Parkland College.