MOUNT VERNON – Two dozen Knox County high school seniors began a month-long journey Thursday which could lead to fulltime employment as soon as they graduate.
They are enrolled in Knox ASPECT 7.0, a manufacturing career-readiness program sponsored by the Knox Area Development Foundation with the support of local companies.
“We are talking about the first step to potential careers, not just jobs,” said Brent Mauer, business relationship manager of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at Columbus State Community College.
Mauer will participate again in the five-week program which is free and open to any graduating seniors who applied. During each Thursday in April the students will interact with 13 local manufacturers to focus on specific skills that will lead to employment interviews with the companies on May 3.
All classroom sessions and interviews will be held in Mount Vernon High School’s Energy Field House and each week’s daylong program will include visits to manufacturing sites.
“These kids don’t really have a plan for after graduation,” Mauer said. “They aren’t going to college. We want to give them the technical and soft skills to help with employment interviews.”
Thursday’s initial session involved a manufacturing overview by Julia Suggs of Knox Area Development and a focus on productivity by David Alley, vice president of Schafer Driveline in Fredericktown. Knox Ohio Means Jobs emphasized attendance, accountability and attitude.
The seniors visited Replex Plastics and Mauser Packaging before returning to the field house for lunch. The afternoon session included a discussion of the work at Beehive Engineered Solutions.
During the tour at Replex Maurer said they learned that a 2024 ASPECT graduate recently was promoted to second shift supervisor.
Upcoming Thursdays will focus on technical skills such as measurements and blueprint reading. Soft skills topics will include resume writing and interview practice. Suggs will lead a discussion of compensation and personal finance.
“One of the most important goals of the ASPECT program is the confidence it gives the seniors before their interviews,” Mauer said. “They will feel prepared and ready.”
Suggs set the stage for the month ahead by profiling past local manufacturers that included Pittsburgh Plate and Glass, Cooper Bessemer, Mount Vernon Bridge Company and American National Can.
“Manufacturing built Knox County and manufacturing continues to build Knox County,” she said, pointing to the worldwide market of Ariel Corporation.
Helping with ASPECT are Beth Marhefka, work-based learning and career development coordinator at the Knox County Career Center; Christine Keaton, career readiness advisor at Mount Vernon High School, and Sean McCutcheon, career navigator at the Knox Educational Service Center.
Other participating manufacturers include HCP Products, Kokosing Construction, Burrows Packaging, Coyne Graphic Printing, Diemaster, FT Precision, Heating and Cooling Products, Jeld-Wen, Owens Corning and Ver-Mac Industries.