Work-Based Learning Success Story: How Interstates Successfully Hires Both Youth and Adults as Apprentices

Why does Interstates hire Registered Apprentices as young as 16 and 17 as well as adults?

A few years ago, the Sioux Center company that provides solutions to industrial clients across the nation – in construction, analytics and automation among other services – realized it needed to do something different to recruit talent, said Kent Heronimus, Technical Training Manager.

Like other Iowa employers, Interstates faces a shortage of qualified applicants, so it’s now building upon its longtime adult Registered Apprenticeship (RA) electrical pathway by expanding this “grow your own” model to other occupations. That began with developing relationships with high schools to launch an Industrial Manufacturing Technician (IMT) RA for juniors and seniors. No prerequisites are required other than a good work ethic and an interest in hands-on learning, Heronimus said.

Byron Mejia was one the first high school student to start the IMT apprenticeship in 2023 during his senior year at MOC-Floyd Valley in Orange City. It combines paid on-the-job training with a mentor and completing required technical instruction through related Northwest Iowa Community College courses. Beforehand, Byron happened to tour Interstates with a high school electrical class. “I thought, this is a pretty nice place, and it looks cool and interesting,” he said. After a teacher later told him about the apprenticeship opportunity, he applied and got hired.

Now, Byron, who graduated from high school last spring, is about to become the first apprentice to complete the IMT RA and earn a credential from the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship, which is nationally portable.  The completion wage is well over $20 an hour. Byron said he hopes his next career step is staying with Interstates to start their electrical RA “to build my overall knowledge and skill set.” While nothing really surprised him about apprenticeship itself, he said the company culture has been great: “I feel like the support here, that is the thing that helped me the most.”

Interstate’s second high school IMT apprentice is expected to complete soon as well, Heronimus said. Interstates plans to add four to five more IMT apprentices by early 2025 and would like to hire all of them full time when they finish.

For Interstates’ other new apprenticeship occupations – applications programmers, operational technology and virtual construction design – the company with about 1,500 employees is concentrating on hiring new high school graduates, veterans and other adult career-changers.

But Interstate’s strategy goes beyond developing its entry-level talent pool. The goal is to ensure people have opportunities for advancement “so they can have a long-lasting career with our company and grow the entire time,” Heronimus said.

Visit this link for more information on work-based learning in Iowa.