News

Once Elijah Woods finished high school, it was easier just to stay in school mode and keep learning as much as he could.

The young carpenter started at RLTurner after graduating in 2021. In that short time, he has already completed RLTurner’s apprenticeship, and he’s the first in company history to complete the additional classes and earn his associates degree from Vincennes University. All this training is paid for by RLTurner and is a benefit available to every employee.

Elijah was an upperclassman during the COVID pandemic, so he was quite comfortable with online learning. “It was a pretty easy transition to simply join the apprenticeship program and enroll in Vincennes,” Elijah says. “The flexibility I had with my online Vincennes courses also was key.”

He completed his educational pursuits while working full-time. The ability to balance extra work while keeping an eye on the future is a trait valued by his supervisors. As one of the younger employees in the field, he’s already established himself as mature, responsible, and willing to learn and take on new tasks.

Part of his reward was getting a raise for completing the apprenticeship program as well earning a college degree debt-free. He also gained many personal benefits. “My high school friends who went on to college call me the smart one,” Elijah says with a laugh. “I’ve got a career, my own apartment, my car is paid off, and I don’t have any student loans to repay.”

Anyone interested in enrolling in RLTurner’s apprenticeship or pursuing a degree from Vincennes should contact Scott Troxell.