The Importance of Career Paths Growing Up
Career Paths Growing Up
As I looked at all the upcoming freshmen walking down the hallways of the high school, it brought me back to my first night taking a look at what my new school was going to be. Each student with the same look on their faces and the same idea: how exciting and yet scared of the idea of finally going to high school. Remembering back, I had not yet set a plan for what I was going to do once I left the high school, similar to what many of the upcoming freshmen had in mind. Now as a senior, I have been able to get an opportunity to discover many career paths that are available for many graduating students, as well as students going into either a two-year or four-year college. Yet as freshmen, these things either seemed so far away or we had no idea about them. For those students who still don’t know what their future might hold, know that you’re not alone.
One company that I was able to take a look at was Kondex Corporation, a manufacturer of primarily agricultural cutting components in Lomira, Wisconsin. There I was able to speak with Mike Frydryk, VP of Human Resources and Organizational Development, take a tour of the facility, and talk about the jobs that they had available at the time. While on tour, I was also able to learn that there are ways for students to develop and grow within Kondex. As some may know, there is an opportunity for youth apprenticeship positions within a company in order to expand one’s knowledge of the industry and career. This program is called Spark, and Kondex is a participating member.
Career Paths After High School
As I continued my tour, I began to learn so much more than the little information we are sometimes told as students. There are multiple paths available, and you don’t necessarily have to go to college right away. As I spoke with Mike Frydryk, I was able to learn other paths that a student can take. One is going into the field of working right away but doing so in a smart way. There is so much information out there on ways to create a career for yourself, starting with working after high school. For example, Kondex offers many entry-level manufacturing or support positions for high school graduates. It also provides training to expand one’s career into fields like CNC machining, robotic welding, or laser additive manufacturing – all good paying positions that instill a great sense of pride in making the products used to feed and fuel the world. Choosing to begin your career right after high school allows you to save money for your future education. In addition, Kondex offers tuition reimbursement, which is an arrangement between employer and employee that outlines specific terms under which the employer may pay for the employee’s continuing education. It is one of the most important and generous benefits that a company can offer. By expanding your education, you are able to increase the amount of income you receive yearly.
Employee Opportunities
Kondex also offers a variety of options to those pursuing associate, bachelor, and graduate degrees. From engineering, sales, IT, and finance to metallurgy, quality control, and more, Kondex offers great opportunities for their employees to grow and develop a strong career. Regardless of position, the culture at Kondex encourages working as a team. Their Continuous Improvement Wheel is a great example of employees coming together to find ways to doing things better, safer, more efficient, and at less cost, while encouraging employees to submit their ideas.
There are multiple opportunities available in Kondex Corporation that help our city of Fond du Lac to keep moving forward.
