(WBBM NEWSRADIO) --The fall term at Harold Washington College started two weeks ago and among the students are some apprentices, who are also working full-time.
Daniel Cowhey is halfway through a two-year apprenticeship at AON in the company’s business services sector.
He said earning an associate degree in business administration and marketing while working is giving him a chance to apply those classroom lessons right away.
"It gives you are clearer sight of what you're doing," he said.
The 28-year-old said he began working about 16 years ago when his family’s business collapsed and then put off college, because he didn’t want to take on student loan debt.
Cowhey said he can’t imagine not staying past the end of the program.
"Before this, I did not have any career path. I didn't have any idea what I was going to do," he said.
AON launched the program in Chicago in 2017 with 25 apprentices and expanded to six other cities and a goal of creating 10,000 corporate training positions by 2030.
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