Every school has its famous graduates. But not every school has a graduate who has returned as president of one of its six campuses.

Meet Cole Huff. As a student at the Springfield campus of Midwest Technical Institute (MTI), he learned welding, a skilled trade in high demand across the country. That was in 2013. After five years working as a welder, he returned to MTI’s East Peoria campus as an instructor. He is now president of the East Peoria campus, 280 High Point Lane, where he manages a diverse curriculum, faculty, and staff that help nearly 200 students launch careers in skilled trades and allied health occupations every year with hands-on training.

It’s the kind of success story that trade schools like MTI love telling prospective students. Not every graduate ends up in the executive office, but many take the first steps down a career path that is personally and financially rewarding. 

“As I got out in the field and started maturing, I started to run a crew for the company I worked for and gained some leadership skills that way,” Cole said. “I learned to talk to people and drive a project forward. All that started with the skills and foundation I received at MTI.” 

MTI has been helping launch careers in East Peoria since 2009, and at five other campuses in Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi for 30 years. The 48,000 sq. ft. campus offers programs in welding and pipefitting, HVAC/R (heating ventilation air-conditioning/refrigeration), dental assisting, phlebotomy, massage therapy, medical coding, and medical assisting. A new program for electricians will be added in October. Across the organization, more than 30,000 graduates have gained skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce. And they have done it in less time and at a fraction of the cost at a four-year college.

This story really begins in the mid-1990s with Cole’s father, Brian, who was living in Mt. Pulaski and working as a welder at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in Decatur.

“He was always training people at work, and hiring too, and he saw a tremendous need for welders,” Cole said. Then one day he decided to start a small welding school in Lincoln. That modest endeavor evolved into a much larger school in Springfield. His idea has continued to grow and add programs as demand for skilled workers has increased. Brian now serves as MTI’s CEO.

“He was just a blue-collar guy with an idea,” said Cole. “His motto is, ‘If we train people how to do what we know how to do, they will get jobs.’”

That commitment to students shows up in a job placement rate, with several programs at the East Peoria campus achieving 80 percent or above job placement in 2024.

Cole said, “If you go here, do the program, and meet qualifications, we will work hard to find you a job. That’s our goal.”

One key to the high placement rate is the strong relationships with employers in the area. Cole said a Program Advisory Committee, made up of representatives from the major industries MTI serves, meets annually to review the curriculum, offer feedback and ideas, and adjust programs to make sure the skills they are teaching align with the needs of the marketplace.

“It’s a partnership, really, because they know what they want, and we help them get it,” he said. The school receives annual accreditation from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Counselors (ACCSC).

Something else that distinguishes MTI is its instructors. Cole said they don’t hire just any instructors. Nearly 80 percent of MTI’s East Peoria faculty are graduates of the East Peoria program. He added that they require MTI instructors to have in-the-field experience and then teach them how to teach.

Welding/pipefitting is currently the most popular program at MTI. Classes start every five weeks, and students graduate every five weeks. It is a continuous cycle that allows most students to graduate job-ready in just 40 weeks. Some programs are even shorter. Phlebotomy, the health profession of drawing blood for testing, can be finished in just five weeks. 

Cole said students come from all backgrounds and range from an 18-year-old recent high school graduate to a 50-year-old looking for a career change. Many students also work part time or at second or third shift jobs. A few night classes are offered, but most are on a day schedule. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

Trade schools like MTI are on the front lines of a nationwide effort to get more young people interested in careers in the trades. Thousands of new skilled trade jobs are being created each year, but some go unfilled because there are not enough qualified applicants. The situation could get even worse as Baby Boomers retire with no younger workers in the pipeline to replace them. 

“Your work ethic’s your most important thing right now,” Cole said. “Twenty or thirty years ago, it was skill. Everybody knew how to work; it was a question of who had the right skills.” He said employers today are looking for candidates who are willing to work. Those employees often find opportunities for career growth.

“My biggest advice (to young workers) is just show up with a positive attitude every day and be ready to work,” he said. “If you do, you’re going to go a long way.”

Learn more about the educational opportunities at Midwest Technical Institute, take a virtual tour, and learn about financial assistance at   https://www.midwesttech.edu/campuses/east-peoria-il/or call (309) 204-9299.”