International’s new approach to building a skilled workforce
Key takeaways
- The partnership between International Motors and Greater:SATX provides paid summer internships to recent high school graduates, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The program helps address skilled labor shortages in manufacturing by converting interns into full-time employees based on their performance.
- Participants gain valuable skills and insights, showcasing manufacturing as a viable and rewarding career path.
A partnership between International Motors and San Antonio's economic development agency, Greater:SATX, is creating a powerful talent pipeline for the manufacturing industry. The program, run through Greater:SATX's workforce development arm, SA WORX, offers paid summer internships to recent high school graduates, many of whom are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
This initiative not only provides hands-on work experience for young people but also addresses skilled workforce needs in advanced manufacturing. By connecting students with real-world opportunities and eliminating financial barriers with paid internships, the program is successfully converting promising young interns into full-time employees with long-term career paths.
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The stories of its participants best illustrate the success of the program. Anthony Degollado and Ariella Cantu, two recent high school graduates, began as interns at the International Motors plant in San Antonio. Initially, neither had a clear career path in mind, but the three-week internship gave them firsthand experience in either supply chain logistics or general assembly. This exposure helped them gain new skills and a deeper understanding of the commercial vehicle industry. The program was not a guaranteed job offer, but seven of the 30 interns, including Degollado and Cantu, impressed the company with their work ethic and attitude, leading to full-time positions.
Today, Degollado works as a forklift operator, while Cantu supports material flow in truck production. They are now part of a growing number of young people who are getting a "jump start" on their careers. The company's management sees the program as a way to show students that manufacturing isn't just a job, but a potential career with room for growth. This successful model is now expanding, with International Motors preparing to welcome another round of interns, continuing to build a skilled workforce from the ground up, and offering life-changing opportunities for young people in the community.
You can read more about Degollado, Cantu, and how International Motors is building its future workforce in San Antonio in this feature article by Anna Smith in Industry Week, a FleetOwner affiliate within Endeavor Business Media.