Darryl Esterline appointed newest regional board member

Darryl Esterline, business representative of Sheet Metal Workers Local 20 and President of Northeast Indiana Building Trades, was recently appointed to Ivy Tech Community College Northeast’s Regional Board of Trustees. Esterline has accepted the three-year term and will represent labor. As a member of the regional board, Esterline will support the college’s vision, mission, and goals; embrace the College’s strategic plan and values; and be instrumental in well-representing the College within the labor community.

Esterline takes every opportunity he can to better the area in which he works and lives. He also believes his industry goes hand-in-hand with Ivy Tech, as both work hard to provide education and opportunities to those in every walk of life.

“I appreciate Ivy Tech Northeast’s commitment to education in northeast Indiana and its ongoing partnership with the building trades apprenticeship programs,” says Esterline. “Ivy Tech makes an impact wherever it is and expands its horizons to stay current and versatile.”

He especially wants to generate some additional exposure to nationally recognized apprenticeship programming partnership between Ivy Tech and many of the building trades. Apprenticeship programs are typically three to five years of on-the-job and in-the-classroom training. Each accredited program participant earns while they learn and upon completion of their apprenticeship program with a trade, the individual receives an associate degree from Ivy Tech Community College. Training is generally at no cost to the apprentice, which means the individual earns a degree with no student loan debt. All of this is value added, while making a fair wage for an honest day’s work in the industry along with ongoing health and retirement benefits throughout your program and career.

Over the next two to five years, Esterline hopes his position on the board will help open doors to more individuals into the labor industry, which will give them access to not only education at Ivy Tech but to apprenticeship programs through Ivy Tech, the Sheet Metal Workers, and all building trades.