The robot is bigger than the one it’s replacing. Wires run panel to panel. Diagrams map every connection. One mistake, and the system stops.
Issiaha Stickell is in the middle of it, working through the wiring, figuring it out
piece by piece.
“I’ve been working on that,” Stickell said. “Getting the wiring diagram for it. It’s
all interconnected with PLCs.”
Fifteen years ago, he was on the production floor. Now, he’s a programmable logic
controller (PLC) electrician, helping bring new robotic systems online at Collis LLC
in Clinton, Iowa.
He worked his way up to it.
“I want to learn as much as I can,” Stickell said. “Anything that’ll make the job easier.”
That mindset is what Collis is building around.
When Plant Manager James Isaacson stepped into his role, the challenge was clear.
“We developed an internal cross-training matrix to analyze nearly every employee and identify skill gaps,” Isaacson said.
“We quickly realized we didn’t have the internal resources to train adequately for
some of these functions.”
The equipment was advanced. The expectations were high. But the internal structure
to build those skills wasn’t there.
Robotics was one of the first pressure points.
Programming errors. Crashes. Downtime slowed production and created frustration across
teams.
“We were seeing these different things, and the logic that wasn’t being written properly,”
Isaacson said.
The work was there. The people were there. The training was not.
So, Collis looked outside its walls and found a partner in Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC).
About Collis LLC
Collis LLC is a tier-one manufacturer based in Clinton, Iowa, producing components for the small appliance industry. The company specializes in refrigeration shelving and assemblies used in freezers, refrigerators and under-counter units.
With roots dating back to the early 1900s, Collis has grown into a key regional manufacturer, combining advanced automation with a skilled workforce to meet modern production demands.
What started with robotics training quickly expanded to electrical systems, hydraulics,
troubleshooting and leadership development.
“I think the most advantageous thing for us was flexibility,” Isaacson said. “We were able to send our employees to EICC’s facilities for a couple of hours a day if needed, or all day. The proximity was a nice addition as well.”
The training met employees where they were. Close to the plant. Built around schedules. Directly tied to the work happening on the floor.
For Stickell, that connection was immediate.
“The skills that I’m learning here at EICC are directly being utilized in the workplace,” he said.
He saw it most clearly in the areas he didn’t know yet.
“The fluid power systems course was really helpful for me because I didn’t actually know a whole lot about hydraulics or compressed air,” he said. “I’ve used it a lot since I went through it, and I think it’s definitely helped me get through troubleshooting issues quicker.”
Isaacson sees that difference across the operation.
“They’re able to get a machine back online in half the time of what it used to take them,” he said.
That kind of improvement changes more than production numbers. It changes how a team works.
“It just expands their skill sets,” Isaacson said. “They get more confident and comfortable around some of the equipment and machinery that they’re working on.”
For him, that is the point.
“I’m a huge proponent of taking those people that want to grow and help them grow,”
he said.
Instead of looking outside for every new skill, Collis is investing in the people
already there. Building knowledge. Creating pathways. Giving employees the chance
to move into more technical and leadership roles.
That opportunity matters.
“There’s a ton of employees here that have never had that opportunity to really excel and try to grow their own personal knowledge,” Isaacson said.
For some, stepping into a classroom again was not easy.
But the results speak for themselves. More than 30 Collis employees have now participated
in customized training through EICC, building skills across robotics, electrical systems,
safety, and leadership.
And for employees like Stickell, it’s opening doors.
“The courses I’m taking here at EICC are going to potentially help me move further into the company,” he said.
He is already thinking about what comes next.
With continued training, there is a path toward becoming a lead PLC electrician. More responsibility. More ownership of the systems he now helps build and maintain. That kind of growth does not happen by accident.
It takes access. It takes partnership. And it takes a willingness to invest in people before they need to be ready.
At Collis, that work is already underway. The machines are evolving. The systems are
growing more complex. And right alongside them, so are the people.
Ready to invest in your team?
Like Collis, businesses across the region are working with EICC to build skills, close gaps, and prepare for what’s next. Training is flexible, customized, and designed around your operation.
Explore what’s possible at eicc.edu/training.