Krohmer Plumbing is partnering with Mitchell Technical College to deliver the related technical instruction (RTI) for Krohmer’s U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program. MTC’s hands-on instruction complements the on-the-job learning Krohmer apprentices receive, developing the technical skills that support their advancement in the plumbing profession.
The inaugural cohort includes 10 Krohmer Plumbing employees—more than 7% of the company’s 163-person workforce. Participants are based primarily in Mitchell, with additional employees joining from Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
“This partnership is a great example of how Mitchell Tech can work directly with employers to create training that meets their workforce needs,” said Mitchell Tech President Theresa Kriese. “By combining technical instruction, hands-on learning, and experience in the field, we are helping employees build valuable skills while supporting Krohmer Plumbing’s investment in its workforce.”
Participants attended an orientation session on Friday, October 9, with the first day of instruction scheduled for Friday, October 16. The first year includes 18 Friday training sessions, totaling 144 hours of related technical instruction.
The curriculum begins with plumbing fundamentals before progressing over four years to advanced installation, service, leadership, and pre-licensure preparation.
Combined with the required on-the-job learning, the coursework puts apprentices on the path toward their South Dakota journeyworker plumber license.
“We’re excited to invest in our employees through this partnership with Mitchell Tech,” said Drew Krohmer, Vice President of Operations at Krohmer Plumbing. “Our apprentices will learn alongside MTC instructors, journeymen plumbers, and industry partners, gaining hands-on experience diagnosing and solving problems in a lab setting. That experience will help them build confidence and technical skills as they work toward their licensure. For our customers, developing more skilled plumbers means faster response times, greater availability, and the ability to serve more communities. This partnership will truly benefit everyone involved.”
Training will combine classroom instruction at Mitchell Tech with extensive hands-on lab work in a training space provided by Krohmer Plumbing, where apprentices can practice with the tools, materials, and systems they encounter on the job. Select lab activities will also take place at Mitchell Tech facilities, including the new Touchstone Energy Utilities Lab and homes built by students in the college’s Architectural Design & Building Construction program.
Mitchell Tech faculty will contribute expertise from several program areas. Jed Schoenfelder, who brings extensive industry experience in plumbing and welding, will introduce underground utilities concepts in the Touchstone Energy Underground Lab, drawing on the college’s upcoming Utilities Pipeline Technology curriculum to give apprentices a working understanding of the water main systems their service connections tie into.
“The apprenticeship program gives employees an opportunity to build a strong foundation in the trade while seeing how plumbing connects with underground utilities and the other systems that serve a building,” said Jed Schoenfelder, Mitchell Tech Utilities Pipeline Technology instructor. “That broader understanding will help participants become more knowledgeable, adaptable professionals in the field.”
Eric Schramm will lead instruction in blueprint reading and tools of the trade, then carry those skills into the field with the student-built homes, where apprentices will practice structural penetrations and fixture installation in an active construction setting alongside MTC students from other skilled-trade programs. Nathaniel Raak will assist with applied plumbing mathematics.
“The student-built home projects give students and apprentices experience that closely reflects what they will encounter on the job,” said Eric Schramm, Mitchell Tech Architectural Design & Building Construction instructor. “They’ll have the opportunity to work from plans, coordinate with the construction team, and install plumbing in a structure as it takes shape. At the same time, our students will see how the different trades work together to complete a successful project.”
Each training day will also include a leadership lunch centered on “Krohmer Kindness.” These sessions will reinforce customer service, communication, professionalism, teamwork, and other skills that shape customer experience.
The apprenticeship program is supported by the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation’s Incumbent Worker Training and Start Today SD apprenticeship program, which help employers upskill incumbent workers and develop registered apprenticeship opportunities and strengthen the state’s workforce pipeline.
“The Department of Labor and Regulation is proud to support employers like Krohmer Plumbing who invest directly in their greatest asset: their people,” said state Labor and Regulation Interim Secretary Kendra Ringstmeyer. “Registered apprenticeships are incredibly effective for closing the skills gap and accelerating professional growth. By partnering with Mitchell Tech, Krohmer is providing world-class training that keeps our businesses competitive and helps keep our workforce right here at home.”
The full apprenticeship training framework is planned to provide 576 hours of related technical instruction over four years and annual capstone projects. Apprentices will progress from foundational skills to advanced plumbing systems, troubleshooting, code application, crew leadership, and pre-licensure preparation while completing structured on-the-job learning with 1-on-1 guidance and support from a Krohmer Plumbing journeyworker.
“Technical education is most effective when it connects directly to the workplace,” Kriese said. “This partnership allows employees to apply what they learn immediately while creating a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals for an essential industry.”
