Managing a massive 4.3 million square foot (and growing) electric vehicle and battery manufacturing facility is an enormous challenge.
Across all areas of Rivian’s plant in Normal, IL—including battery, paint, body, stamping and vehicle assembly—highly skilled technicians are essential for operating and maintaining the complex machinery that make up the backbone of production. In-depth manufacturing knowledge and expertise, along with an inquisitive nature, are required for this career, and those skills are honed and cultivated for apprentices in the Rivian Technical Trades Program.
“Every day is so different, but the job comes down to improving things all around the plant,” said Matt Marciniak, a 2025 graduate of the Rivian Technical Trades Program. “We learned about how things work, so we can spot opportunities to make a process more efficient and address any issues that may come up.”
Across the country, the Rivian Technical Trades Program provides an opportunity for individuals to grow their careers in the skilled trades, from service to manufacturing. In Normal, the Rivian Technical Trades Program offers two distinct career paths: Industrial Maintenance and Tool and Die Technicians. In both programs, employees take part in classroom-based education and on-the-job training to learn and develop mastery of their respective crafts. After completing the two- and half-year program, apprentices graduate as journeymen and are matched with one of the teams in the plant.
“We learned it all—electrical, hydraulics, pneumatics, mechanical,” said Jo Hammond, another 2025 graduate who is now a journeyman in the utilities department on the power team. “We would go from reading about it in the classroom and then seeing it out on the floor—like wow we just were talking about this!”
Rigorous and rewarding education
Rivian and Heartland Community College, which is less than five miles away from the plant, work together on several initiatives designed to support careers in electric vehicle manufacturing, including the Rivian Technical Trades Program. Once accepted into the program, apprentices take classes at Heartland as part of their work week, and the cost of tuition is covered by Rivian.
“I’m actually a bit jealous of myself,” said Marciniak. “Not only did Rivian pay for my education, but I was getting paid to go to school.”
Graduates of the program receive an associate’s degree, industry credentials, and become either an Industrial Maintenance or Tool and Die Technician. But the career options don’t stop there.
“Through this apprenticeship, I’ve seen there are so many different career paths you can take,” said Nick Mock, who graduated the program with Marciniak and Hammond. “You get to know a lot of different people through the program, and the options really open up to you. While I graduated in maintenance, there’s an opportunity to pursue electrical or mechanical engineering positions if you are interested.”
While the classes are rigorous, dedicated students who aren’t afraid to ask questions are well rewarded.
“The best part about the apprenticeship is getting to work with more than a hundred of the smartest people and they tell me everything they know,” said Marciniak. “My goal when I am asking questions is to get to a point where somebody says ‘I don’t know’. That's when I know that I’ve extracted as much as I can. I take that wealth of knowledge through all different work situations throughout the plant.”
Cohort of community
The 2025 Industrial Maintenance Technician graduates were a tight-knit group of six people. Many felt their success in the program was in part due to the strong community shared with their classmates.
“Our first week when we came in, our group was like, ‘Alright we are either all going to pass together or all going to fail together,’” said Marciniak. “We were the first group where everyone passed. There was a sense of family and it made everything easier. It’s not as hard when the people around you are pushing you to be the best.”
Jo Hammond was the first woman to graduate the Industrial Maintenance Technician program and has now seen more women follow in her footsteps.
“I really encourage anyone who is interested to apply for the program,” said Hammond. “It can be intimidating, but the people supporting this program care about you and do everything they can to make sure you succeed. The whole point is to learn and get better. And the moments where you struggle to understand, that’s when you learn the most.”
And the program is growing—24 new apprentices have joined the program this year.
National recognition
This past June, Nick Mock and Matthew Marciniak competed in the SkillsUSA Championship, one of the largest workforce development events in the world with 6,700 state champions competing in 114 skilled and leadership competitions.
Mock and Marciniak competed in the event category called mechatronics, which is focused on the combination of mechanical, electrical and computer systems. They secured first place at the Illinois state competition to qualify for the national event.
“We had to build out a whole machine and program it,” said Mock. “The machine is basically a conveyor built with a motor and PLC and sensors. Basically, you are given a box of parts and you’re told to build it and wire it up and program it.”
At the SkillsUSA Championship, the dynamic duo won second place against 17 other teams, bringing incredible recognition to both Heartland Community College and Rivian.
“Getting second place at Nationals was a huge moment,” said Marciniak. “It really felt like all the hard work was worth it and validated our skills at the highest level.”
Taking the leap
Taking on a new career can be daunting, but the Rivian Technical Trades Program is welcoming to all who are willing to put in the effort—even those looking to make a career 180.
“I had never done manufacturing before—in fact I was a business analyst for 15 years before I joined Rivian and then went back to school as an apprentice,” said Hammond. “I am so glad I took the leap. Just in the four years I’ve been here, there has been so much growth in the company and in myself.”
“If I can do this job, I genuinely believe that anyone can do it if they put in the effort to learn it,” said Marciniak. And Mock agrees: “It’s really up to you and how far you want to push yourself. Anyone who has the ambition and wants to learn should do it.”
The team behind the Rivian Technical Trades Program—including Micah Koll, Manager of Learning and Development Operations at the Normal plant—have been hard at work to grow and mature this program since it first launched in 2021.
“It is a profound privilege to be part of a program that has the power to transform lives— offering education, a career pathway, and avenues for personal growth,” said Koll. “I look forward to welcoming the next generation of cohorts coming in and sharing all the opportunities we have here at Rivian.”
In addition to manufacturing apprentices, the Rivian Technical Trades Program also has an electric vehicle service pathway. Service Technician graduates would have the opportunity to join our Field Service team at one of Rivian’s many service centers across the country. See hereOpens in new tab for more information.
