Millwright Apprenticeship Program

Learn on the job. Grow for the future.

Skilled millwrights learn their trade by doing the work. Keen Project Solutions offers Iowa’s first and only merit shop millwright apprenticeship program to develop the qualified workforce our clients depend on. This four-year, in-house program pairs classroom instruction with hands-on field experience, where participants are mentored by seasoned millwrights and superintendents. As full-time Keen employees, participants earn a paycheck while building skills and credentials that belong to them, no matter where their career takes them.

2015

Program Founded

IOWA’S FIRST MERIT SHOP MILLWRIGHT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

17

Journeyman Graduates

PLUS 12 MILLWRIGHTS CURRENTLY IN THE PROGRAM

900+

NCCER Module Certifications

COMPLETED SINCE 2023

3

Gold Medalists

WITH 6 NATIONAL COMPETITORS IN THE ABC NATIONAL CRAFT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Program at a glance

Four Years

Four levels of technical coursework and field experience.

8,000 Hours

2,000 hours of tracked on-the-job training completed each year.

152+ Hours

152-hour minimum annually (participants typically complete 160 – 200 classroom hours).

Accredited

Recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Training Grounded in the work

Our program uses National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) millwright curriculum and testing, linking what apprentices learn in class to the skills they practice in the field. Topics include trade math, rigging, welding, precision equipment alignment, mechanical systems and other trade disciplines. Each module includes written testing and a hands-on performance evaluation that apprentices must pass before advancing.

Instruction comes from Keen millwrights, superintendents and program graduates, along with outside experts in areas such as mathematics, rigging and safety equipment. We also provide bilingual course materials and documentation, translating earbuds and live interpretation during major training sessions to support Spanish-speaking apprentices.

Keen provides:

  • Paid time during scheduled classroom instruction
  • Paid travel to class and per diem (when applicable)
  • Required course materials
  • Registration fee reimbursement upon completing each year

“It’s the best way to be able to get the most experience in different avenues of trades to be able to decide what you want to do. And then there’s a natural progression to move into management or engineering or design.”

— JAMES STAPLETON, MILLWRIGHT PROGRAM GRADUATE

“Keen accepts everyone, no matter what background or culture. They’ve always embraced having us walk together as a team, and not leaving anyone behind. That’s why I joined this apprentice program, so I can help other people that need it in the future.”

— Edgar Carrion, Millwright Program Graduate

“It’s very rewarding to gain different kinds of knowledge. The work is really enjoyable. There are situations where it gets complicated, but that also pushes you to discover your abilities and see how far you can go.”

— ALVARO SANDOVAL, MILLWRIGHT PROGRAM GRADUATE

“Every day I’m learning how and why we do things in a certain way. And I’m seeing these things in the classroom and then seeing them in an application on the job site. That’s really cool. I’ve honed my skills more in the last three years than in the 10 years I had [in the industry] before.”

— Shawn Hudnell, Millwright Program Graduate

Skills, credentials and career growth

Apprentices earn NCCER certifications as they complete modules, with their progress recorded on a nationally recognized NCCER blue card. Employees who meet Iowa Office of Apprenticeship requirements, including the required field hours and a high school diploma or equivalent, can also earn their journeyman card.

Credentials belong to the employee, full stop. Graduates are free to take their credentials anywhere, with no requirement to remain at Keen after completing the program. Our goal is simply to build a place where people want to stay. Most graduates have chosen to do exactly that, going on to become foremen, superintendents and general superintendents at Keen. Several now even serve as instructors in the program.

how to join the program

The Millwright Apprenticeship Program is open to Keen employees only. Participation is voluntary, with a new group beginning the program each year.

1.

Gain Experience at Keen

Applicants typically work at Keen for several months before applying to the program.

2.

APPLY DURING ANNUAL ENROLLMENT

Registration opens in July and closes in August.

3.

COMPLETE THE SELECTION PROCESS

A selection committee reviews applicants and selects participants for each new group.

4.

BEGIN CLASSROOM TRAINING

Classes start in October and typically continue through March, scheduled around field assignments.

why we invest in apprenticeship

We launched this program shortly after the company was founded with the goal of developing qualified field employees and preparing future leaders from within. That commitment hasn’t changed.

Formal training raises the standard of work across the board. When our field teams share a consistent foundation of skills and knowledge, our processes are stronger, our quality is higher and our clients get better results. We’ve also seen participants form real relationships as they go through the program together, and those bonds carry into how they work as a team in the field.

Interested in the Apprenticeship Program?

Current Keen employees can apply during the annual enrollment period, which opens each July. If you’re interested in participating, talk to your manager or supervisor to learn more. Not yet part of the team? Explore open field positions and start your path to a career at Keen.

EXPLORE FIELD POSITIONS