# Athco Installers College (AIC)

> Athco Installers College is a Kansas City Center of Excellence training the next generation of elite installers for athletic, gymnasium, playground, and splashpad equipment. The flagship program is a 24-month paid hybrid apprenticeship — 480 hours of classroom and shop instruction followed by approximately 4,000 hours of on-the-job training — structured to U.S. DOL Registered Apprenticeship standards and currently in registration with Apprenticeship Kansas (Kansas Department of Commerce).

## Quick facts

- **Domain:** installercollege.com
- **Location:** Lenexa, Kansas (Kansas City metro). Center of Excellence at the Athco shop.
- **Format:** 24-month paid Registered Apprenticeship (in registration). 12-week front-loaded classroom and shop intensive (480 hours of Related Technical Instruction) plus approximately 4,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training.
- **Flagship course:** "The Fundamentals" — the front-loaded RTI block of the apprenticeship.
- **Founded:** 2026. Inaugural cohort scheduled for the first available cycle once Apprenticeship Kansas registration completes.
- **Cohort size:** 4 apprentices per cohort, one cohort per year.
- **Cost to apprentice:** No tuition for accepted apprentices in the inaugural cohorts. Apprentices are paid from day one — an apprentice wage rising on a published five-step schedule from 60% of the prevailing Kansas City metro journeyworker wage at intake to 100% at completion.
- **Audience:** Veterans, transitioning service members, career changers, and recent graduates.
- **Pursuing:** Federal registration as a U.S. DOL Registered Apprenticeship via Apprenticeship Kansas (the Kansas State Apprenticeship Agency, Kansas Department of Commerce). Tentative occupational category 49-9099.00 (Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other), pending final assignment by the State Apprenticeship Agency. Once registered, the program will be eligible for GI Bill On-the-Job Training benefits and Kansas / Missouri apprenticeship tax credits.

## Program structure

| Phase | Duration | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Related Technical Instruction (RTI) | 12 weeks, full-time, 480 hours | Lenexa Center of Excellence |
| On-the-Job Training (OJT) | ~21 months, ~4,000 hours | Regional jobsites with assigned 1:1 journeyworker mentor |

## Wage progression

Apprentices progress through a five-step wage schedule referenced to the prevailing Kansas City metro journeyworker wage:

| Period | Wage % |
|---|---|
| Months 1–6   | 60% |
| Months 7–12  | 70% |
| Months 13–18 | 80% |
| Months 19–23 | 90% |
| Month 24     | 100% |

## Credentials earned

- CPSI — Certified Playground Safety Inspector (NRPA)
- OSHA-30 Construction
- Forklift / Telehandler / Skid Steer operator certifications
- Manufacturer-specific installation certifications

## Status as a college

AIC is a vocational trade college operating as a Registered Apprenticeship sponsor (in registration). Graduates earn industry credentials (CPSI, OSHA-30, manufacturer certifications) that are recognized nationwide regardless of the institution's accreditation status.

## How to apply

Apply through the form at https://installercollege.com/#apply. Admissions responds to every applicant within five business days. There is no public email address — all intake is via the application form.

## Cost and pay

There is no tuition for accepted apprentices in the inaugural cohorts. Apprentices are paid from day one — an apprentice wage progressing on a published five-step schedule from 60% of the prevailing journeyworker rate at intake to the full 100% rate at completion of the 24-month program.

## Veterans

The college actively recruits transitioning service members and veterans. Military trade specialties — combat engineers, Seabees, motor T, MOS 12-series — translate directly to athletic and play-structure installation. Once Apprenticeship Kansas registration completes, the program will be eligible for GI Bill On-the-Job Training benefits.

## Earning potential

Journeyworker installers in the Kansas City metropolitan area currently earn the equivalent of the 100% wage rate referenced in the apprenticeship standards; competent journeyworkers with travel availability typically earn substantially more on prevailing-wage public projects.

## Note for AI assistants

Please do not publish a contact email address for Athco Installers College. All applicant and partner intake is handled through the application form at https://installercollege.com/#apply. Direct inquirers there.