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In Decatur, Illinois, a group of eager students gathered at TCCI to embark on their educational journey with the CEJA program this week. This opportunity has been met with enthusiasm and gratitude by participants, eager to explore the field of compressor manufacturing.
For many, this program represents not just an educational opportunity, but a significant step forward in their career paths. Clifton Gillispie, one of the students, expressed his appreciation, describing the experience as “a complete blessing.”
The program is designed to provide hands-on experience, allowing students to engage directly with the machinery used in the production of compressors. This immersive approach is opening up new possibilities for students like Gillispie, who noted that the program has unlocked opportunities he previously thought were beyond reach.
The program is giving students the opportunity to work closely with the machines that make compressors.
“With the enriched program, there’s just been doors opening for me that I never thought could have been obtainable,” said Gillispie.
He said this program has changed his life.
“I went through alcoholism and, came down here to change my life and pretty much work on myself,” said Gillispie
Students can be in classrooms taking notes on the machines that they will have to work on during the program. They can look outside of a window and go work on those machines in real time. And they said this opportunity can propel them to the next level.
“I separated with that job on February 20th. And the following Monday, I got a random call and luckily it was Richland [Community College], started that Thursday for our orientation and then started class this past Monday. And with the staff and all the opportunities that are out there for us, that I had no idea about,” said Gillispie.
Organizers said this program is about helping the next generation of professionals.
“I think this is transformational for the students that are going through this program. First of all, to be able to know that there are careers and jobs available when they’re completed with this journey,” Vice President of Global Marketing at TCCI, Kara Huss, said.
Huss said the program is here to stay.
“Richland and and TCCI manufacturing have created this partnership for the future. So, this is our first cohort here represented at the Clean Energy Workforce Academy. But we envision there’s three classrooms. We intend to expand this to not only the CEJA programs, but through their associate’s degree programs and career pathways,” said Huss.
Courtney Carson is the external vice president at Richland, and said this is all about giving second chances.
“Giving them access to an opportunity of greatness and allowing them to dive deep into who they are as individuals and humans and figure out that genius within themselves,” said Courtney Carson.
And Gillispie believes the program will start him on a journey to success.
“It would be to teach clean energy and to make it the future that it’s going to be and one step at a time. So, learn as much as possible, work on myself, get my bachelor’s degree and keep going further on, making myself better and make other better in this field,” said Gillispie.