b'Arconic Foundation Global Internship:PROGRAM CHANGES PERCEPTIONS, CREATES OPPORTUNITIESBy Sherri Gardner Howell parts. We begin with Workforce Readiness, teaching the soft skills. What do you want to be when youThe second part is the actual intern-grow up? The childhood answer toship and then the career fair and that question may well be changing.graduation.In todays world of technology andThe soft skills include lessons in digital excitement and educationalwhat it means to be a professional, investment in STEM training, tradi- time management, problem solv-tional answers sometimes give way toing, being part of a team, develop-build robots or make computers. ing good communication skills and The Arconic Foundation Globaldecision making. We do mock job Internship Program at Blount Countyinterviews and each person devel-helps young people see the oppor- ops an online portfolio, says Taylor.tunities in a career in manufacturing.The internships are with a wide The Global Internship Program is partlist of local businesses that have of the Arconic Foundations nonprofitmanufacturing as part of their efforts. The Foundations stated mis- program, including Arconic, Chero-sion is to change the perception ofkee Millwright, ICC International,At Royal Metal Powders, former intern manufacturing by generating excite- DENSO, AES Seal, Axis FabricationBrandon Gilbreath trains a new intern, ment around the rewarding careerand Royal Metal Powders, just toGabriel Porter. opportunities available to the nextname a few. program helped her learn about generation of talent. Each internship is a little dif- the professional side of manufac-Jackie Taylor is the director of theferent, depending on how theturing. It helped me understand Global Internship Program in Blount.business wants to do it, says Taylor.how to interview, get in there and Our purpose is to help transitionSome do job-shadowing, othersbe comfortable and be a good fit young adults, ages 18 to 26, into agive a lot of hands-on. in the workplace. The internship career in manufacturing. We wantThe success rate can be mea- program helped me find a pathway them to see the opportunities avail- sured in the number of programto success.able right now, to help them growinterns who end up with jobs inRebecca Bailey finished her and advance in the manufacturingmanufacturing or related fieldsinternship and is an electrical engi-sector, says Taylor. during the grant period. Someneering student at Pellissippi State Keeping the pipeline open is aget hired at the place where theyCommunity College. I can confi-win-win for Blount Countys youngdid their internship, says Taylor.dently say that I am walking away people and for the community. BlountOthers go on to post-secondarywith many valuable life skills.County receives grants from Arconic,education or training. Our place- Taylor says seeing the young in partnership with its International In- ment rate of those hired or enteringpeople, the Foundation and the stitute of International Education (IIE),a post-secondary program is 83community all come together is the Blount County Public Library andpercent. what makes her job meaningful. Blount County Friends of the Library. Past interns have high praise forThe collaboration with Blount Taylor says the program has receivedthe program. Brandon Gilbreath,Partnership and all the manufactur-three grants in the past six years andwho was hired at Royal Metal Pow- ers is wonderful, seeing them come just received its fourth grant. ders directly after his internship, hastogether to change young peoples The grants allow us to pay forsince become financially indepen- lives, says Taylor. We cant make internships in partnership with localdent and bought his own home.that happen without them. Its ex-manufacturing companies and to payDiranda Hamby, who internedciting to see how impactful it is for the interns for training prior to begin- at Cherokee Millwright and wassome of these interns, to see what ning those internships, says Taylor.hired by them before she finishedthey want and what they see that The program is divided into threeher internship program, says thethey can do is amazing.16 Basically Blount 2021'