WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS
ELCO High School
The LVEDC planned an Engage Business Walk with six manufacturers. We invited Superintendent, Julia Vicente, and Career Advisor, Jen Martin from Eastern Lebanon County High School to be part of the walk. President, Susan Eberly and Communications Assistant, Camryn Krall met with Julia and Jen to discuss ways to expose the current students in Lebanon to the workforce & manufacturing opportunities that are available in the area. It is important to inform the growing leaders of our county that there are more routes upon graduation than college.
The LVEDC office is located inside of the Lebanon Valley Business Park. This park contains 15 manufacturing companies. After a few days and some scheduling, four facilities within the Park had agreed to a meeting and tour for us and the ELCO representatives. We visited Schott Pharmaceutical, Laserfab, Everlast Roofing, and PSPM Plastics.
We were able to engage in many meaningful conversations, share resources and listen to the company’s needs. Each company provided a plant tour. The Corporate representatives, Superintendent Vicente and Career Advisor Jen Martin, were all pleased with the interaction, and thankful for the information that was shared as well as the initiative that was being driven.
Since meeting, ELCO High School students have gotten to see the ins and outs of three different manufacturing facilities. Schott, PSPM, and Amcor. The Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation is thankful to have built that connection through our engage calls and anticipate seeing students return in the future for employment. This connection with the ELCO High School representatives will continue to be beneficial for both ELCO, the manufacturers, and the LVEDC.
Lebanon Valley College
In my short time at the LVEDC I have had the great opportunity to get a glimpse of what it is like in the manufacturing field. Touring some of the facilities within LVEDC Business Parks such as Sherwin-Williams, Schott Pharma, REGUPOL, Millet Plastics and BQC Foundry, I am fortunate to have seen a variety of different products being manufactured. Being exposed to such a variety of different manufacturers allows me to compare and contrast the management style, order of operations, and company culture at each of the locations.
As an International Business and Business Administration major at Lebanon Valley College, seeing the facilities and the people who work there firsthand is crucial to understanding and applying the material that I have spent the past four years learning. Some of these companies are international businesses, REGUPOL and Millet Plastics, which is extremely interesting for me to pick the plant manager’s brains.
This Spring, the LVEDC welcomed an intern from LVC! He wrote a short article on his experiences thus far:
A special thanks to Warren Wolfahrt and George Soukas for sitting and talking to me about their international experiences, not only business related but also personal. They helped me better understand what it is like working in an international company, and in Warren’s case, being an international worker.
My experience as a student in Lebanon County, more specifically Annville, has been an extremely rewarding one. The tight knit community which is so willing to help each other out is something that really stands out as exceptional to me. Wherever I go and whoever I talk to, people are trying to refer me to others who may be able to help me on my career path. Even if my career path takes me someplace other than Lebanon, County, I know that these experiences are worthwhile and the lessons I have taken from my interactions are crucial to success. A point of emphasis from everyone I have met is that networking is vital to success. It has been emphasized to me that when meeting people, I should always be putting my best foot forward to leave a lasting impression. Saying yes to new experiences and getting out of my comfort zone is one of the best ways I have created new contacts.
~Liam Hogan, LVEDC Intern