Co-op Equals Experience and Academics for James Stancil

CONTACT: BUTCH MERRITT, EXT. 1570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9/23/2003
(By Lisa Garrett)

GREENVILLE -- James Stancil's co-op experience as an instrumentation technician at the Western Carolina Regional Sewer Authority (WCRSA) this year will make him more employable when he begins the job search following graduation next May.

On-the-job training is a definite plus in today's economy and will give him a definite advantage over the competition, said Ray Orvin, executive director of WCRSA.

As part of the cooperative education agreement, Stancil, an Industrial Electronic Technology major at Tri-County Technical College, works 20 hours per week at the WCRSA Mauldin Road facility in Greenville, in addition to attending classes at Tri-County. Getting valuable work experience while earning a paycheck is a bonus, said Stancil, of Easley.

"This is a good community partnership and the College's first co-op with a public agency, said Butch Merritt, director of Tri-County's Job Placement and Cooperative Education Office.

"Co-op provides an opportunity to meet employment needs by business, industry and education coming together to solve common problems, especially in tight employment markets," said Merritt. "To increase your chance of getting a good job when you graduate; you need solid work experience in college. Graduates who can bring to an employer work experience that's related to their associate degree have an edge over those who do not," he said.

After hearing a presentation on the co-op experience and its benefits, Stancil signed up. He works in WCRSA instrumentation department, working on varied jobs including calibrations, installations, problem-solving, and troubleshooting. Stancil said he feels right at home and applies academics to the real world every day. "The labs at Tri-County simulate field situations, but here it's the real thing."

"He's doing a great job," said Larry Needham, electrical and installation supervisor. "I commend his knowledge and good attitude. I admire James because it takes discipline to go to school and hold down a job."

"We came up with a list of projects for James to work on," said Jimmy Hunsinger, assistant operations manager of shop maintenance. "He has worked in electronics and mechanics -- anywhere he can give a hand and he's done well. On-the-job training is the best," said Hunsinger.

Companies are looking for multi-skilled technicians, said Merritt. "Most can't afford to hire single-skilled employees. They need someone who can take care of it all."

From a practical point of view, employees need classroom training, but they also need on-the-job skills," said Orvin. "This is great for James's resume because employers want experience and academics. Being exposed to this environment gives him an advantage, and his supervisors can serve as job references because they know how well he works. This is a learning curve paid for in the co-op process. It's to his advantage. I encourage other agencies to consider co-ops. It's a win-win partnership."

He continued: "We have had two or three engineers who started as co-ops. We've 'grown our own' because we knew their capabilities, and they were already synthesized to the organization. It gives us a chance to evaluate folks to decide if they will be future employees."

Internships and co-op positions are becoming much more important both to students and to employers looking for a trial run with potential hires, Merritt said. "Every employer's dream is a highly skilled, motivated technician with customized work experience and a ready-made appreciation of the company's goals and needs," added Merritt.
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