Registered Apprenticeship Signing: Silver Hawk Welcomes Muscatine HS Students

September 5, 2025

Forging the Future: Silver Hawk Welcomes First Registered Apprentices in Historic Signing Ceremony

MUSCATINE, IA – At Silver Hawk Fabrication, we’ve always believed that the future of American manufacturing isn’t just built in our shops—it’s forged in our communities. That’s why this past Thursday, September 4th, 2025, was a day of immense pride and significance for our entire Hoffmann Group family.

In a ceremony filled with promise, we officially welcomed three talented Muscatine High School seniors—Owen Brown, Landon Baker, and Kaden Miller—as the first participants in our new Registered Apprenticeship Program.

This isn’t just a summer job. It’s a commitment. A commitment from these young men to master a skilled trade, and a commitment from us to provide them with the training, mentorship, and pathway to a rewarding career right here at home.

From our roots building frames and openings for silos, Silver Hawk has grown into a leader in large-scale industrial fabrication and coatings. That growth is powered by skilled hands and sharp minds. We recognize that to continue building the extraordinary, we must invest in the next generation of welders, fabricators, and innovators.

These three apprentices are already proving themselves in our fabrication department, learning the critical arts of welding and grinding. Their dedication is undeniable:

  • Landon Baker, who has been with the Hoffmann Group for the past year, has already clocked over 1,000 hours with us.
  • Owen Brown joined our team in May and has been making impressive strides ever since.
  • Kaden Miller just started this week and is already diving into the work with enthusiasm.

While Muscatine High School students have worked with Hoffmann in the past, this partnership marks a new chapter. This is our first official foray into the state’s work-based Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program.

What is the Registered Apprenticeship Program?

This is a robust, industry-driven, earn-while-you-learn system overseen by the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship. It’s a program we helped design to ensure it meets the high standards of our industry. It provides:

  • Hands-On, Paid Training: A minimum of 2,000 hours of on-the-job training right here on our shop floor.
  • A National Credential: Upon completion, Owen, Landon, and Kaden will earn a nationally-recognized credential, a valuable passport for their careers.
  • A Clear Path Forward: This program is a cornerstone of our strategy to build our workforce from within, ensuring the legacy of quality manufacturing continues for decades.

This ceremony was more than just a formality; it was a celebration of potential. It was a chance for our team of nearly 80 employees across the Hoffmann Group’s four divisions to show our support and welcome these young men into the fold.

We are thrilled to partner with Muscatine High School and the State of Iowa to make this happen. The future is bright, and it’s being welded together right here in Muscatine.

Please join us in wishing the very best of luck to Owen, Landon, and Kaden! We can’t wait to see what you build.

The Silver Hawk & Hoffmann Group Team