High school students get on-the-job training
The No. 1 cited problem for manufacturing plants and businesses in general is the inability to recruit and select qualified people and to retain same.
This World War II-induced global demographic basically means that almost 50 percent of the current adult labor force will retire (baby boomer generation) over the next 10 to 20 years. This will be a huge factor to deal with between 2010 and 2020.
The second side of this problem is that there is a severe shortage of ‘Generation X’ workers to fill the staffing needs going forward. Businesses simply must leverage up all available opportunities to access potential talented workers for their future staffing needs.
This means developing relationships now with nearby educational programs from high school to universities. This nationwide problem is very prevalent in Warren County. Two TVA-based industrial surveys taken over the last five years showed lack of qualified workers to hire as the No. 1 local challenge.
The Business Roundtable Action Committee through Accu-Router and Yorozu partnerships with Warren County High School developed with the direct assistance of principal James Bennett, and Tracy Risinger, CTE director, a new internship program over the last school year. A total of 58 juniors and seniors to-be signed up to be candidates, about half with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Half of those had a 3.5 GPA or higher.
These motivated students recognize that meaningful ‘real world’ experience would be more beneficial to their career plans than working at a fast food restaurant. Many had no job experience, but were thirsty to see first hand how business functioned. Most of these students were ideally suited for salaried position internships. Six Business Roundtable members gave presentations to the 58 candidates in the WCHS auditorium in February about what their businesses did and the kinds of employment opportunities that were available.
This fall, eight high school interns have been employed by Business Roundtable members with six coming from Warren County High School. These interns are bright, motivated, and serious about their futures. Most plan higher education and could become part of the future leadership of Warren County. They are pleased and excited about what they have learned through their internships. These practical learning experiences have helped firm their future career plans, and even benefited their high school performance. The internships involve starting at $5.85/hour. Most students work ten hours a week during the school calendar and more if desired during holidays and the summer.
The six interns from Warren County High School happen to be three females and three males. This is a personalized report about interviewing these six students. Every BRAC employer is pleased about the intern performance and the decision to hire the students. These students have high GPAs and a variety of activities on their resumes.
Going in alphabetic order, LaNae Bess is a senior who has been employed by the McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce for two stints this school year. LaNae spearheaded an in-depth research study for the Chamber in September/October to help guide the 2008 programs strategy.
Included with this research were direct mail (e-mail), telephone, and personal interviews with several industry categories in Warren County, ‘people on the street’, past Chamber chairs, and educators. This was statistically relevant and pertinent to the Chamber project.
LaNae enjoyed meeting and talking to the people of Warren County. She was interested to view those who ‘make a difference.’ She found learning about the various activities of the Chamber of Commerce a highlight. LaNae has been accepted at East Tennessee State University where she plans to pursue the goal of becoming a pharmacist. She particularly enjoyed the face-to-face people interviews.
Kallie Haley has been employed by McMinnville Electric System since last spring as a customer service representative. She reports to Charlene Robinson. Her job functions have involved handling customer payments, phone calls, and customer service. She worked full time last summer and two hours a day during school session. This is Kallie’s first job.
Kallie cites dealing with the public as her primary learning experience, particularly as it relates to monetary issues. She also has learned about organizational structure and the need for same. Her job highlight revolves around meeting people and the fondness she has for fellow associates. Kallie intends to pursue a college degree in a yet to be determined major. Kallie is a junior at WCHS.
Amy Hutton is a senior at WCHS who is employed in the accounting department at Accu-Router, working 10 hours a week. Amy intends to pursue a degree in accounting at MTSU next year and would like to return to Warren County. Her father is a financial advisor at MTSU.
This is Amy’s first job. She wanted to experience a practical accounting position before committing to a college major therein. Amy advises that learning accounting skills in a ‘real world’ environment has been her highlight. She enjoys applying accounting concepts in real applications. Amy likes payroll and payables as two disciplines within accounting. Turns out that she is a fourth cousin of Johnnie Turner, the CFO at Accu-Router, a very recent discovery. Her commitment to accounting is clear and appreciated.
Dustin Dennis is a junior who is employed at the Jarden Consumer Solutions’ (JCS) Oster Professional facility in McMinnville. Dustin reports to human resource manager Sheri Denning and fulfills a variety of job assignments ranging from filing, making personnel badges, updating health and safety notebooks, handling the employee library, logging vacation time, etc.
Dustin started at JCS in June, and has learned the need and benefit of being organized. He advises these skills have helped him become better organized, more able to handle responsibility, and overall a better person. His highlight has been to get to know all the people who work at the facility, whom he calls ‘family.’ He has received one review to-date whereby he was praised for being the ‘Energizer Bunny’ and for getting his tasks done.
Jared Parson is a junior who works at Accu-Router as an engineering intern specializing in CAD design. Jared came to Accu-Router with an expressed desire to do CAD design work. We use SolidWorks 3D CAD software, which WCHS purchased within the last school year, based on a survey of local industry usage.
Jared claims that his on-the-job learning has helped clarify and firm his career goals. He has learned a lot about different materials and use of industrial software. He wants to pursue a college education with a major in computer engineering. His highlight in the job has been getting to know fellow associates and the workplace environment.
Wade Robbins is employed by the Magness Community House & Library downtown, reporting to Mary Robbins (no relation), the director. Wade had worked at a fast food firm in McMinnville. At the library, Wade covers the main circulation desk, helps with books replacement, does moving/lifting jobs, etc. With the circulation desk he utilizes any of the four computer stations at the library to do book check-in, check-out, and assists library patrons with requests.
Wade plans to go to Tennessee Tech after WCSHS graduation and pursue a degree in computer engineering. He likes computers. Wade has learned to become more outgoing as a result of working with people. He loves the working hours.
Any business in Warren County needing part-time help ought to carefully review the short- and longer-term benefits of hiring a WCHS intern. Tracy Risinger will prepare desired student skill sets and interests to match your hiring needs.
You can interview at WCHS. You can select the student that is most attractive to your business. You can hire more than one intern. If a given placement doesn’t work out, the program can be readily accessed a second time. It is imperative that the young talent coming out of Warren County High School be encouraged to witness our local career opportunities and to consider being an active player in our future leadership needs.
This is truly a rewarding and exciting program. A win-win situation. Please let Tracy Risinger (668-5915) or me (668-7127) know if your business would like to benefit from this internship program. These students are talented and motivated. They are waiting for your call.
Todd Herzog is president of Accu-Router and chairman of the Business Roundtable Action Committee.