J. F. Ingram State Technical College is offering students a unique training opportunity with the addition of its first apprenticeship program. The apprenticeship, which will benefit students enrolled in Ingram’s diesel mechanics program, is the result of a two-year partnership between the College, Montgomery-based Four Star Freightliner, the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), and the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship (AOA). 

“The apprenticeship agreement marks a new level of opportunity for our students,” said Ingram President Annette Funderburk. “We could not have asked for a better industry partner to help launch this initiative than Four Star Freightliner. Their commitment to our students and our mission is unparalleled.” 

The apprenticeship is one part of a comprehensive program designed to prepare students for the transition from classroom to workforce. Participants will complete college courses and earn select lab credit hours as apprentices through Four Star Freightliner.  

“The apprenticeship program directly aligns with the prison to workforce pipeline,” Funderburk explained. “Students receive a quality education, gain hands-on experience through on-the-job training, then transition to full-time in-field employment through the ADOC work release program, and are released with the tools and skills needed to join the Alabama workforce.”  

“I’m grateful for everyone at J. F. Ingram State Technical College, state leaders, and the Four Star Freightliner team for persevering and making this apprentice program a reality,” said Four Star Freightliner Dealer Principal Jerry Kocan. “Now that students are back in the classroom, we can finally begin the process to help them transition to a well-paying career that includes skills that will carry them far into their future. Four Star Freightliner is proud to be a community partner that can provide these students such a unique opportunity. Our goal is to provide a “hand up” and a chance at a great career that will sustain them.” 

“We see Alabama’s incarcerated population as an untapped resource for the state’s employers like Four Star Freightliner,” said ADOC Commissioner John Hamm. “This apprenticeship aligns perfectly with ADOC’s mission of rehabilitation through training. Inmates learn valuable skills that help them succeed once they reenter society.” 

During the in-field training, students will work with skilled professionals to maintain and repair diesel engines, as they would on the job. As they progress in the program their in-field hours will increase, enhancing their experience. Students who complete both the program of study and the apprenticeship will then become full-time employees at Four Star Freightliner through the ADOC work release program. 

“By providing returning citizens with high-value skill training, we will simultaneously help reduce recidivism and help the employers of our state meet their critical workforce needs,” AOA Director Josh Laney said. “It takes tenacity and vision to launch a program like this and our partners at Ingram State Technical College and the Alabama Department of Corrections are demonstrating they have both.” 

Ingram’s 60-credit hour Diesel Mechanic program includes training in preventative maintenance, troubleshooting and repair of engines, brake, suspension and drive train systems. In addition to college credit, students can earn OSHA safety and forklift certifications. Students participating in the program are required have a high school diploma or GED and must maintain minimum-community custody level in accordance with the ADOC Classification Manual.  

J. F. Ingram State Technical College is a fully accredited member of the Alabama Community College System serving incarcerated students exclusively. The College offers training in 18 career and technical programs. 

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Representatives from business and industry gathered at J. F. Ingram State Technical College May 3, 2022 to celebrate the college’s first registered apprenticeship program. Pictured (from LEFT) Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville); Cam Ward, Director Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles; Josh Laney, Director of the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship; President Funderburk; Four Star Freightliner Dealer Principal Jerry Kocan; and Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm.