New apprentices welcomed to North American Lighting’s Salem and Flora teams.

 FLORA & SALEM, Il (July 18, 2019) – North American Lighting, Inc. (NAL) held its second annual apprentice signing ceremony to recognize four new apprentices enrolled in the NAL Technical Apprenticeship program, sponsored by the Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (ICATT).

The ceremony was dedicated to publicly celebrating the students’ momentous step in their future career. One by one each apprentice excitedly signed their official offer letter and put on an NAL ball cap declaring their commitment to the ICATT sponsored NAL Technical Apprenticeship. Supporting onlookers included NAL company officials, local college and ICATT representatives, and students’ family members.

Two of the new apprentices will work at NAL’s Salem facility while obtaining their associate degree from Rend Lake College. The other two will work at the Flora facility while obtaining their degree from Olney Central College. The newly signed apprentices will begin the program in mid-August. 

Joshua Seeberg, ICATT Apprenticeship Program Manager, and Doris Bawa, Client Relationship Manager joined NAL in celebrating the new apprentices at the signing ceremony. Mr. Seeberg encouraged the students in their next endeavor combining company specific knowledge and theory with hands on learning, a German-based dual education system from which the ICATT program derives.  

Second year apprentice, Chad Morris from the Salem facility was also present to show his support of the new apprentices and congratulate them on their career decision.

“Going back to college at the age of 30 wasn’t something I ever imagined,” said Mr. Morris. “Although excited to start this journey, I was a little nervous about the time management of balancing work and school. After my first year, I can say this is not a worry due to the NAL support system. Not having to worry about student loans and having a set career path is also a big stress reliever.”

Mike Randolph, Assistant General Manager of NAL’s Salem Plant related to the apprentices since he started his career through a similar Co-Op program which led to his first job out of college. His experience provided a solid understanding of how the skills he studied in school could be applied in the working environment and says he developed many working relationships while in the organization.

“Today, more and more of our young people are forced to leave the area to find employment with progressive, growing companies, but as NAL products become more technologically advanced and in higher demand, we can offer local opportunities in more state-of-the-art, challenging fields,” said Mr. Randolph. “Retention of skilled local talent who want to stay at home, strengthens our NAL facilities and supports our local communities.”

The ICATT sponsored NAL Technical Apprenticeship is a five-year program that helps students kick-start their careers without college debt. The program is designed to prepare young people for highly skilled positions that are offered locally and train the next generation of NAL technicians.

Apprentices have the unique opportunity to earn and learn simultaneously by working three days a week for a competitive wage and attending classes at partnered colleges two days a week to complete their associate degree in Industrial Technology.

About North American Lighting, Inc.
North American Lighting, Inc., member of the Koito Group of Companies, is the largest automotive lighting manufacturer in North America and has been manufacturing since 1983. NAL is a pioneer in vehicular lighting from LEDs to adaptive driving beams and is now pursuing the latest technology in autonomous driving. NAL’s nine facilities in North America combined with the global network of Koito Group Companies, uniquely positions the company to meet increasing global demands for safe, energy-efficient, eco-friendly, and intelligent automotive lighting systems. For more information, visit www.nal.com.

About Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training
Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (ICATT) is the leading apprenticeship program in the Midwest for high-tech manufacturers and companies with complex technologies or logistics. It is the only program fully benchmarked on the German Dual Education System – an approach recognized globally for its combination of company-specific knowledge, theory, and hands-on learning – resulting in highly-trained employees that position companies to embrace technical advances, keep pace with market demands, and harness growth opportunities. For more information, visit www.icattapprenticeships.com

Contact:  Kayla Lindsay, Corporate Branding Specialist:  217-465-6600 

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