ALBERT LEA — A new collaboration between Riverland Community College and a nationally-known staffing company could help students achieve real-world experience.

A presentation was held Wednesday at the college in Albert Lea to discuss benefits of the school’s collaboration with TrueBlue Inc., a staffing company.

The program temporarily places first-year Riverland students with companies during the summer and potentially during the school year.

Riverland professor Steve Vietor said the collaboration will allow the school’s wind, solar and electrical students the chance to work throughout the year, noting more than a half-dozen students signed up Wednesday.

He said the collaboration lays the groundwork for hands-on work for students before graduation, noting two-year students have traditionally had to wait until they graduate to receive training.

Vietor said local employers have told him they need more skilled workers to conduct solar projects, noting he expects solar energy is an emerging market that will offer energy career opportunities with advancement.

The collaboration allows students the chance to be in a wind turbine, an opportunity he said the college has not had before.

The collaboration will also help Riverland recruit students, noting companies have reached out to the college, including Blattner Energy, to hire first-year students.

He said local employers have told him they need more skilled workers to conduct solar projects, and he expects solar energy will be an emerging market that will offer energy career opportunities with advancement.

TrueBlue recruiting manager Jon Thumann said the company wants to provide students the opportunity to begin working for companies and learn a specific trade while in school.

Recruiter Corey Caldwell said the staffing firm can place students on temporary contracts with wind turbine, solar, welding, painting, assembly work and other companies, but noted he has heard a specific need in the area for solar and wind industry workers.

He said the temporary placement can lead to long-term jobs.

“It’s going to present opportunities for them,” he said.

The collaboration lays the groundwork for hands-on work for students before graduation, noting two-year students have traditionally had to wait until they graduate to receive training, Caldwell said.

TrueBlue, a Tacoma, Washington-based company, connects as many as 840,000 people to work each year. The company has more than 700 branches in all 50 states as well as Canada and Puerto Rico.