Page 15 - AutomationNotebook-Issue43-flip

Business Notes
AutomationDirect Employees Enjoy Helping Students in AInternship Program
key AutomationDirect value is to be a responsible, involved citizen of the communities
where team members live and
work. That’s one of the reasons the company has served for the past two years as an employer for Internship Forsyth which gives students the opportunity to learn real-world skills by working at local companies.
The program, formerly called
Work Based Learning, pairs Forsyth
County high school students with
structured work experiences that con-
nect their career goals and pathways
with a productive work environment. When the stu- dents enter ninth grade, they choose a career path- way that gives them some advanced knowledge of their field of interest, including marketing, healthcare, criminal justice and engineering. They are matched with an employer for an internship in the field of their choice. This experience gives them a chance to trans- late what they learn in school into an actual worksite, enabling a smooth transition into the workforce and/ or education beyond high school.
Company is Prized Work Location
In addition to giving back to the local community, another reason AutomationDirect participates in the program is that employees love sharing their knowl- edge and skills with students – and it shows!
“AutomationDirect is a prized work location for interns as the employees provide great work expe- rience, communication and feedback to the stu- dents,” said Debra Moore, Career Development Coordinator with Internship Forsyth.”
Interns Work in Marketing and Engineering
AutomationDirect has two interns from the pro- gram working at the company right now in market-
Business Notes www.automationnotebook.com | Issue 43
Mentor and AutomationDirect employee Tim Wheeler (left) and intern Nolan McGinley
ing and engineering. The students get to put what they learn in their career classes to practice in a real- world setting.
For two years, Rick Folea, Senior Technical Marketer-Training Coordinator has been coordinat- ing the internship program for AutomationDirect. He commented: “Work based learning students are a total win-win for everybody. These are highly moti- vated students that we have come to rely on to help us be more productive. We get more work done with- out hiring an extra employee and they get price-
less real-world work experience (and extra cash!).
We have even heard stories from colleges about
how blown away they were by how much these 'high- school' kids knew because of the work experience they got at AutomationDirect.com!”
Tim Wheeler, Senior Technical Marketer-Training Coordinator, also works with the interns. He said “Supplementing ‘Work-Based Learning’ students into our workforce is a resounding success for our com- pany. They bring a positive energy that really bolsters the entire team. With their help we are able to get the job done without extra head count, while helping the next generation spring into the labor force.”
Go to Article
Editor's Note
New Product Focus
- Headless C-more Remote HMI without attached display
- Continuous Flexing Profinet Cable
- ProductivityOpen Arduino-compatible Controller
- Hammond Industrial Enclosures
Tech Thread
Productivity®Open - Maker In, Industrial Out
Business Notes
Cover Story
Does Your PLC Talk JSON?
What's New
User Solutions
Roller Coaster Overhaul
Student Spotlight
Industrial Automation with a Mission
Break Room
Brain Teasers
continued >>