‘Signing’ students

Engineering and advanced manufacturing teacher Kyle Love imagined having five or six local industries attend the inaugural Jay County Signing Day.

About 18 companies expressed interest in attending the event intended to help seniors find jobs at local industries.

“When they all started responding, I was like … we’re going to have to figure something out,” Love said. “We had a lot more involvement from the industrial partners than I expected.”

Several local manufacturers and other businesses met with students Tuesday at Jay County Junior/Senior High School for Jay County Signing Day. It continues today for juniors and seniors to get interview experience and possibly find part-time summer work or full-time employment.

The inaugural event –– it was originally scheduled for last year and canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic — kicked off interviews for the first time Tuesday and concluded interviews at the end of the school day today. An official “signing day” for students signing into new positions is planned June 2.

There were 24 tables set up around the school’s commons area for local industries to interview with juniors and seniors. Two stations with representatives from May Financial and First Merchants Banks were also set up for students to practice interview skills without hiring expectations.

“If we get just a couple of students hired and we get interview experience for the rest, I consider it a win,” said Jay County Development Corporation executive director Travis Richards. A summer job could transition into a long-term position, he said, which is how he started his career.

Richards worked for Body Company in Union City each summer while in high school and transitioned to its sister company, Workhorse, after the factory closed. Once he graduated from college, Richards started at the industry as a full-time worker.

“You might have an opportunity like that for somebody here,” he said.

And while the focus is on industries, all local businesses are welcome to attend, Richards added.

Jeremy Freel, production manager at Sonoco Protective Solutions, has a background in teaching. He worked for 10 years as a physical education teacher and athletics director at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Freel shared excitement Tuesday to be spending time with students again.

“I think this is where we need to focus a lot of the attention –– at the school level,” Freel said.

Businesses all over Jay County are hiring. Several companies at the event expressed interest in hiring seniors –– or even juniors as part-time help –– to fill vacancies. The event drew attention from beyond Jay County, with senior engineer Dave Lochtefeld of Celina Aluminum Precision Technology in Ohio among the particpants.

“There’s no workers left over there, so we’ll go wherever we have to try and find help,” said Lochtefeld.

Brenda Funk, human resources manager at Motherson Sumi Systems Limited (MSSL) of Portland, had several students visit her table Tuesday. She complimented juniors and seniors on their interview skills.

In this setting, she explained, she wasn’t looking for resumes but instead asked questions about which courses each student has taken, such as trade classes, and about part-time jobs they have worked. MSSL is currently working to fill 50 open positions.

Because it’s the first time Jay County has ever hosted the event, Love explained, he plans to learn and improve it moving forward. He’s thinking about combining Signing Day with Manufacturing Day in the fall when students have the opportunity to visit local industries. It was also canceled because of the ongoing pandemic.

“We’re trying to get the COVID cobwebs off and get things back to somewhat of a normal routine,” Love said.

He hopes to start planning for Jay County Signing Day at the beginning of the school year to get more students excited and make more parents aware of it. Even college-bound students, he added, have the potential to make connections for a future career.

He referenced senior Mitchell Winner, who interviewed with POET Biorefining general manager Adam Homan. Winner is planning to study computer science in college.

“That applies to a lot of these places,” Love explained. “Computer science, you don’t necessarily immediately think, ‘Oh, I can go work at POET,’ but they have people that do that. I’m just trying to show them there’s more opportunity here than (they) may think.”

Minnich Poultry operations manager Matt Minnich said Signing Day is a good opportunity for local industries to introduce themselves to young adults. Sometimes students may be a great fit for a company (and vice versa) but don’t know of each other yet, he added.

“I think they have the potential,” he said. “We’ve just got to help them see it.”

Senior Dominic Huffman said he was possibly interested in working at MSSL or Minnich Poultry. The 18-year-old noted he would make a higher salary at either facility than from his current part-time position.

Another senior, Rieley Brewster, plans to attend Ball State University in the fall to study elementary education. She practiced interviewing during the event Tuesday.

And although she doesn’t plan on picking up a part-time position this summer, she is thinking about looking into a job when she’s on break from college in the next few years.

“I thought it was a very good opportunity for all high school students to get out there,” Brewster said.