Accounting students earn apprenticeships

Update | Monday, October 11, 2021

Five Columbus State accounting students were awarded Financial Services Apprenticeships with GBQ Holdings. It all started this summer after a managing director of GBQ contacted Dave Cofer, project manager of Partnerships and Programs. Cofer was told GBQ needed a small group of apprentices to support accounting functions on its business’s tax and assurance portion.  

Given the success of other programs like the IT Flexible Apprenticeship and Modern Manufacturing Work-Study programs, members of the Employer Engagement and Experiential Learning and Career Services teams got to work. Carmen Daniels, dean of Business, Engineering & Technology, and accounting faculty members Martin Blaine, Patrick Fiorelli, and Brad Trimble created the GBQ Financial Services Professional Apprenticeship. As part of this program, students participated in a meet and greet and information session at GBQ headquarters in August. Afterward, they worked with Career Services staff to prepare their professional resumes and polish their interviewing skills in preparation for the competitive selection process.

As a result, five candidates accepted apprenticeship positions with GBQ Holdings. They are pictured above left to right: Alyssa Doudna, Julie Suncire, Kam Khai, Kourtney Yarger, and Ella Ryumshin. They began their employment on October 4. 

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