News

Southeast Community College and Klute Inc. formalized an apprenticeship partnership designed to develop a skilled workforce in the steel fabrication industry. This collaboration will combine classroom instruction at SCC with hands-on training at Klute’s facilities in York for apprentices. The timing of the partnership coincides with Klute’s unprecedented growth, having doubled its headcount over the last 18 months due to increased demand from electric utilities driven by data center and AI infrastructure development.

Klute, a family-owned steel fabricator with more than 60 years of experience, aggregates steel for electric utilities specializing in substations and transmission line projects. The company operates in York, Nebraska, and has built its reputation on reliable products, on-time delivery, and strong relationships with customers and employees throughout the United States. They see the apprenticeship program as a great opportunity to provide a work experience while students are in school which has the potential to lead to post-graduation employment.

“The benefit of the apprenticeship program is creating a talent pipeline,” said Jordan Klute, president of Klute. “The apprenticeship program is going to allow us to create a structured internship program in order to provide a good experience for the students. They will not only be learning the skills they need to graduate, but also gaining job skills, how to be a professional employee, and what all that means. I think that is as important as figuring out a career path.”

The partnership will initially focus on welding apprenticeships, starting with a pilot group of 4-5 apprentices in January, potentially expanding to 10 students. Six to eight students have already expressed interest in the program. Mark Hawkins, SCC's welding program chair, has been instrumental in coordinating class schedules to make the program feasible.

Each apprentice will be hired as a Klute employee and will be assigned a dedicated mentor—initially their supervisor, potentially expanding to dual mentorship with colleagues. The structured program will provide both technical skills training and professional development, helping students understand career pathways while gaining real-world experience. A key component of the partnership will be the ongoing communication between Klute and SCC welding instructors. In addition, Klute created a flexible shift structure specifically for apprentices.

“Some of the feedback we received from SCC and other colleges was it was really hard to get them out to York with their class schedule,” Klute said. “We took that back to production and said “What can we do?” so we created a four-day, three-day shift. Basically, the apprentices will be on the three-day shift which is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It’s not the most ideal but it works better with their class schedule.”

SCC's apprenticeship initiative is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor as part of a $7.9 million award, with approximately two-and-a-half years of funds remaining to refine and expand the program. The program offers students an opportunity to build careers close to home, addressing the needs of those who prefer rural communities over urban centers.

"Giving future students diversity and a choice as they become available will be huge for the College,” said Twilya L’Ecuyer, SCC apprentice program director. “The data shows young people are trying to figure out what their life will look like if they choose this path. What will the day-to-day job look like. If we can give them a snapshot of what that looks like, it helps them visualize how they fit in.”

Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
Southeast Community College
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu