Addison Trail senior accepted into Zurich Apprenticeship Program

On March 27, Addison Trail recognized senior Keren Solis Escamirosa for being accepted into Zurich North America’s prestigious apprenticeship program.

Solis Escamirosa will receive on-the-job training, paid work experience and tuition toward higher education coursework. She will be placed at the company’s Schaumburg headquarters and will attend Harper College in Palatine.

As a student at Addison Trail, Solis Escamirosa has achieved multiple accolades and been very involved in extracurriculars. She has earned honor roll status each year of her high school career and was named to the National Honor Society her junior and senior years. Solis Escamirosa has been active in Key Club, International Dance, Theatre, Student Council and Yearbook (ATtribute). She served as Corresponding Secretary of Student Council and as Editor of ATtribute.

Solis Escamirosa joins an esteemed group of Zurich apprentices, who work in a range of businesses and functions. Zurich offers pathways to earn an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree, all while starting a career simultaneously. According to www.zurichna.com/careers/early-careers, “Zurich offers an award-winning apprenticeship program in Schaumburg and New York City. In addition to general insurance, apprenticeships are sometimes available in IT, cyber, HR and other focus areas. As a participant, you receive on-the-job training at Zurich while working toward your Associate in Applied Science degree through a neighboring college. Successful graduates are promoted into a full-time job at Zurich.”

Solis Escamirosa was honored on March 27 by Addison Trail Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher Stacey Puccini, Zurich employee Lina Loncar (pictured above) and Nikolas Loncar (pictured above), an Addison Trail alumnus (class of 2023) who also participated in Zurich’s apprenticeship program and will receive his associate degree this summer from Harper College. He plans to attend DePaul University to continue his education.

Zurich’s apprenticeships are two years long, and the company hires a new cohort of apprentices every year. Zurich is a founding member of the Chicago Apprentice Network, which was formed in 2017. The network has more than 110 employers, who offer 2,000+ apprenticeships in the Chicago area. For more information, go to www.zurichna.com/careers/apprentices. Zurich also supports Addison Trail in other ways, including participating in the school's recent Career Week (read more about that event at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/16445).