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Seven construction workers—including experienced Industrial Electricians—wearing hard hats, safety vests, and jackets stand in a row before a brick wall, posing for a group photo. Some wear neon yellow or orange; the ground is gravelly.

National Apprenticeship Day: Growing Our People Through KE Trades Academy

At Knobelsdorff, we’re always looking for ways to support our team and grow together. This National Apprenticeship Day, we’re excited to spotlight our very own KE Trades Academy, the apprenticeship program built by and for our KE team members, helping them advance their careers while making a real impact every day.

A KE-Built Program for Our People

We officially launched KE Trades Academy in Fall 2024 with a simple goal: to offer our employees a chance to earn a quality technical education at no cost, while gaining essential on-the-job experience toward their professional licenses. Since the program launch, we have dedicated hours to our apprentices to learn and grow, while getting paid competitively and directly contributing to the meaningful projects that move KE forward.

In just over a year, the KE Trades Academy has grown faster than we ever imagined. Today, we’re proud to have over 100 apprentices taking advantage of the opportunity to build great careers through four federally recognized programs:

  • Electrician
  • Craft Laborer
  • Heavy Equipment Operator
  • Lineman

Our apprenticeship classes are accessible, practical, and designed specifically for our field apprentices. Apprentices join virtual classes and are provided with everything they need to succeed including laptops, books, and instruction based on industry-leading NCCER standards. It’s education without the cost, and training without limits.

"Someone once asked me, 'What if you train your people and they leave?' My response was, 'What if we don't, and they stay?' said Brian Gray, Apprenticeship Program Manager. "That's why we train our people to deliver high-quality results, lead with confidence, and grow in careers that they can be proud of."

The KE Way: Building Careers and Community

Our culture is built around working hard, having each other’s backs, and continually pushing forward. Apprenticeships fit right into that. Programs like KE Trades Academy offer our employees the chance to build lifelong careers, without taking on debt or compromising their livelihoods. They’re proof that at KE, we’re invested in growing our people first.

To Our Apprentices—Thank You!

We appreciate every apprentice in our program. Your effort, dedication, and willingness to learn are at the core of what makes Knobelsdorff special. We’re excited to see you continue growing, achieving, and shaping your careers here at KE.