Efficient Plant May 2021 - 8

feature | skills-gap solutions

Signing Day Starts
Skills Development
IT'S THE FIRST Friday in May and that means
the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Fort Smith,
AR, is holding its annual Business EXPO and
Career Fair. While last-minute touches are put on
more than 80 booths, the kick-off breakfast is ready
to begin. All 350 seats are filled; you can feel the
excitement in the air as today is Signing Day.
Surrounded by parents, peers, and community
members, students and local companies come
together to publicly announce their commitment
to each other. Some of those students are recent
college graduates.

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EP2105fabb.indd 8

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For ABB, Ft. Smith, AR (abb.com), this is the
day we recognize local high-school seniors who
Jesse Henson
have asked to become apprentices in our largest
ABB NEMA Motor Div.
U.S. motor-manufacturing facility. Following three
months of applications and interviews, the students
are selected, and the ceremony begins with signing
letters of intent between students and local companies.
It's just as you would imagine, with students
at a table on stage and company represenFilling the skills gap
tatives by their side. Once signed, each
involves a communitystudent receives hats and shirts to welcome

wide program that
connects students with
manufacturing while in
high school.

MAY 2021

4/26/21 9:27 AM

http://www.abb.com http://www.EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM

Efficient Plant May 2021

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