MOUNT VERNON – Several Knox County graduating seniors will have jobs waiting for them after they receive their diplomas, thanks to their participation in ASPECT, a manufacturing career readiness initiative of the Knox Area Development Foundation.
Those jobs could lead to lifelong careers.
Approximately two dozen seniors met at the Knox Technical Center on April 4 for the first of four weekly sessions that included classroom sessions and visits to 13 participating manufacturers. The month-long preparation culminated Friday when 16 seniors who completed the program had interviews with local manufacturers in the technical center gymnasium.
Sean McCutcheon, career navigator at the Knox Educational Service Center, said the day was a success.
“We don’t have specific numbers yet, but several of the seniors were offered positions immediately after graduation,” he said.
Julia Suggs, Area Development’s economic development coordinator, directed the ASPECT program with assistance from McCutcheon and Beth Marhefka, work-based learning and career development coordinator at the Knox County Career Center. The Ohio Means Jobs office also assisted.
Marhefka, who also was on hand for Friday’s interviews, said the on-site visits to all participating manufacturers during April was key to the success of Friday’s interviews.
“I think visits to the manufacturing sites each week were invaluable,” she said. “It took the mystery out of each company. The seniors got the answers they needed: What does this company do? What does it sound like to work here? What would I be doing if I were hired? Would it be a good fit for me?”
About half of the students who were interviewed are enrolled at the career center.
Friday’s interviews were facilitated on site by Brent Maurer, business relationship manager of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at Columbus State College. He blew a whistle at regular intervals, signaling seniors to rotate to another manufacturer’s interview table.
Maurer, who assisted with the ASPECT program throughout, repeated what he said when the seniors gathered for the first time on April 4.
“We are talking about potential careers, not just jobs,” he said.
Maurer said earlier that four years ago his office and the Area Development Foundation began talking with local manufacturers about their employment needs. The topics that emerged -- technical skills, soft skills such as interviewing and workforce readiness – were emphasized during April. Emphasis also was on subjects like productivity, attendance, chain of command, resume preparation and practice interviews.
The ASPECT program just concluded was the sixth offered over the last three years, three in the fall and three in the spring. The program is free and open to any graduating seniors who apply.
Participating manufacturers included Schafer Driveline, Replex Plastics, HCP Products, Kokosing, Beehive Engineered Solutions, Burrows Packaging, Coyne Graphic Printing, Diemaster, FT Precision, Heating and Cooling Products, Jeld-Wen, Mauser
Packaging Solutions, Owens Corning and Ver-Mac Industries.