The Welsh Wire: Becky Poe, Agritek Industries

In today’s tight labor market, it makes sense to look for opportunities to nurture high school students for future employment in your industry. How do you make that happen?

“Number one, have a good relationship with your local school district and their tech center,” says Becky Poe, student employee development director for Agritek Industries, a metal product manufacturing company in Holland.

Poe was recently interviewed by Sheri Welsh for the weekly Welsh Wire podcast and talked about Agritek’s well-developed business-led student employee program. Poe says for such a program to be successful, it’s crucial that a company owner, like Agritek’s Larry Kooiker, be willing to make an investment in young people. “It does take time to train and serve as a mentor. It’s a cultural part of your business. If it’s not a part of who you are, I don’t know how well this would work for you,” she says.

Poe tells Sheri that if you’re going to employ high school students in your company, you need to make sure you are current on youth standards labor law.

Listen to Sheri’s entire interview with Becky Poe.

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