Youth Development Programs Promote Success at Server
Company News
2021.09.03
At Server, we believe that the interictal aspect of our business is ensuring longevity. This not only impacts how we design our industry-leading products but also how we approach our talent efforts. Server takes pride in bringing in young people from various backgrounds to learn more about what Server is and how we operate. Throughout the last few summer months, these efforts have taken place in multiple formats, predominantly through two programs, our Youth Apprenticeship Program and our summer helper staff program.
In conjunction with the Wisconsin State Department of Workforce Development and local high schools, Server is a proud partner company of the Youth Apprentice Program. This summer, Server had the pleasure of hosting Andrew McDonough and Nick Witte. Nick has been a youth apprentice at Server since August of 2020, and Andrew joined our ranks at the beginning of July 2021. However, we are extremely pleased that both gentlemen are slated to be with us until May of 2022. They spend their time at Server working in production, rotating around the various stations and specializations that it takes to make our products. In partnership with their respective high schools, during the school year, they will continue doing this for a few hours in the mornings before they go in for their classes. The youth apprenticeship program not only provides them with invaluable on-the-job experience and school credit but also has them integrated as paid employees on our team. Some of the best experiences and fond memories they shared from this summer are from learning how to use some of our specialized and advanced pieces of machinery (under the closer supervision of Dave and Derek, their supervisors, of course).
The second main youth outreach program we have here at Server is our summer helper staff program. This internal program allows high school students looking for a good-paying summer job to gain exposure to the world of foodservice manufacturing. Like the youth apprenticeship program, they get to spend time rotating among some of the different departments to gain a deeper understanding of the business and hopefully pick up some new skills. This summer, we were joined by a group of six awesome summer helpers, Taylor Fields, Evan Falkner, Nick Westin, Jacob Fields, Josh Borchert, and Angelo Catarozzoli. This group of local high school students came in, for the most part, without any real background knowledge of Server. Over the last eight—ten weeks, we made sure that that would change. While conversing with this group of talented young people, they are excited to share their newfound knowledge of our products. Even more so, they love seeing and sharing how the products they made are being used and the various settings where they encounter a Server product in the wild. While we are sad to see this group leave us as they return to the school year, we are tremendously thankful for all their incredible contributions to our team. Many of these summer helpers have expressed tremendous interest in returning to Server next year, and all we can say is that we are ready and excited to welcome them back with open arms.
Regardless of where these talented individuals’ paths lead, Server Products is incredibly proud to have been a part of their development. Their enthusiasm, hard work, and intelligence have been a tremendous asset to the company, and we hope that they can apply the skills they learned and developed here in whatever future endeavors their lives hold. Learn more about our story and company history, here, and check out our social responsibility and sustainability initiatives.
