News

Southeast Community College is building tomorrow’s workforce and preparing students to do more in their careers. Apprenticeships are avenues that allow students to begin their education at the same time they begin their career.

Thanks to partnerships with employers like Kawasaki, Metal Works, and Fairbury Public Schools, students have the ability to gain hands-on experience while also earning a paycheck.

“Registered apprenticeships open the doors of possibility for nontraditional learners to develop skills in high-demand occupations while still earning a living,” says Twilya D’Ecuyer, apprenticeship program director at SCC. “It also gives the apprentice real world exposure to the day in the life of an occupation.  That for me is very empowering.”

Benie Buzi Mbo Nta is one of those students. She was one of the first students that joined the electromechanical program as an apprentice with Kawasaki in 2023. She graduated with an A.A.S. in Electrical and Electromechanical Technology in 2025, and is now finishing her HVAC certification.

“I didn't have to worry about working and going to school,” said Buzi Mbo Nta. “I didn’t have to worry about not having my 40 hours for this week and needing to make it up somehow. It was guaranteed hours and just focusing on school. That was just a sweet deal. I mean, it's hard to pass up.”

Working at Kawasaki while earning her degree meant she was able to apply what she was learning immediately. Learning about complex machinery in a classroom can be useful, but for an employer like Kawasaki, there is simply too much equipment to be fully prepared without hands-on experience.

If Buzi Mbo Nta learned a concept in class but didn’t know how to apply it to the machinery at her job, she knew that there were people who could help her.

“I mean, the environment itself, the people that we work with – we're kind of like family,” Buzi Mbo Nta said. “Also, we help each other a lot. If I don’t understand it, if I’m stuck on a machine, I know I can count on somebody. We kind of utilize each other a lot, and it helps you grow overall.”

Ninety three percent of apprentices remain with the same employer at least three years after completion. That means students can expect a stable job and income when they complete these programs, and employers can expect a well-trained, loyal workforce that continues to make our communities stronger.

“Every day, for me, personally, I am growing more and more,” Buzi Mbo Nta said. “I'm actually using those skillsets and just growing every day.”

Damon Bennett
Activities Information Director
dbennett@southeast.edu
402-437-2207