Cristina Llamas-Gonzalez, a Human Resources (HR) Apprentice, is building her network, gaining hands-on job experience, and making her mark at Plastic Recycling, Inc.  

“I’m following HR professionals. I have multiple mentors here. I absolutely love it,” said Llamas-Gonzalez. Now in her 3rd and final year of the program, she’s contributed to projects like onboarding new employees, leading the digital transformation of the HR department, analyzing employee data, and developing debriefs for members of the leadership team.  

For her employer, her apprenticeship has been just as beneficial.  

Plastic Recycling elevated Cristina’s “innovative thinking, ability to connect with our workforce, strong work ethic, and commitment to making Plastic Recycling a better place” as keys to her success at their company. Being bilingual, she has also become an outstanding advocate for their Spanish speaking teammates.  

“When she originally interviewed with us during her sophomore year for the HR Apprentice position, she had a lot of questions about working in ‘Human Resources’ and what that meant,” said Chad Smith, Chief Personnel Officer at Plastic Recycling, Inc. “I’m so proud of Cristina and the wonderful journey she has been on to answer those questions.” 

In March 2025, for the first time in company history, Cristina facilitated a full day of onboarding entirely in Spanish, for their new Spanish speaking employees.  Having spent the entire week prior translating and preparing to teach, her work helped those new teammates leave more informed about the company, its history, and their vision, all while being more connected and included than ever before. 

“Her growth from 3 years ago, to watching her lead her teammates, is what MAP is all about and we are proud to be partners in this work with EmployIndy,” added Smith. 

Her infusion of positive energy and exceptional contributions within her organization also made waves within the broader apprenticeship community as she was honored with the Work-based Learner of the Year award at the 2024 Indiana Work-Based Learning Conference.  

Through her experiences as an apprentice in the HR space, Cristina is currently pursuing a career in employment law. No matter which path Cristina takes after high school, she’s actively building her future with the Modern Apprenticeship Program (MAP).