StudentsExplorethePathwaytoStanleyBlack&Decker
OnMarch21,11highschoolstudentsfromPathwaysAcademyofTechnologyandDesign,amagnetschoolinEastHartford,Connecticut,andtheirprincipal,DavidGoldblum,visitedStanleyBlack&DeckerfacilitiesinNewBritainasapartofa“jobshadowday.”Pathwaysoffersadesign-andtechnology-orientedcurriculum.Thestudentswhocametojobshadowdaytakeclassesintheareasofadvancedmanufacturing,engineering,informationtechnology,graphicdesign,math,accountingandvideography.
Thehalf-dayouting,whichwasorchestratedbyDeepaBhatiaofITHumanResourcesandJohnLambofEnterpriseArchitecture,providedthestudentswithexposuretothetypesofmanufacturing,engineeringandinformationtechnologycareersthatmightlieaheadforthem.
Whiletheorientationofthehalf-dayvisitwasinformationtechnology,thestudents’agendaexposedthemtoseveralfacetsofourcompany.TheideawastoplaceinformationtechnologyinalargerbusinessandcorporatecontextandtoconnectthedotsbetweentechnologyandStanleyBlack&Decker’smanyoperations.
Hereisapictorialitineraryofhowthestudentsspenttheirtime:
AVisitto600Myrtle
Thebuddingdesigners,engineersandtechnologistsbegantheirdayat600MyrtleStreetwithatourofthefacilityandalessoninhowmanufacturingtechnology–inthiscase,theoldandthenewwaystheiconicStanleytapemeasureismanufactured.
ChristopherSgobbo,theplantmanager,showedthestudentstheNextGenerationtapemeasureprojectonbehalfofChiragKamani,thechiefengineerfortheproject.KristenSabatino,theHRManagerattheplant,ledatourofthefacility.LeonardMarxdidtheadvanceworkforthestudents’visit.
A Note from Our Pathways Partner “Schoolisalearningenvironmentthatexposesstudentstoconceptsinonedimension,butwhenwetakestudentsoutofthebuildingtocompanyfacilitiestomeetwithreal-worldprofessionals,itaddsawholeotherdimension.Suddenlytheyunderstandtheimportanceofwhattheyarelearningandschoolbecomesmoreinteresting.Pathwaysplacesmorethan100studentsayearintointernships,butinordertomakethatareality,studentshavetobecuriousabouttheirfuturesandwanttounderstandwhatliesahead.CareerDays,JobShadowactivitiesandpresentationsbyourcorporatepartnersexposeourstudentstofuturepossibilitiestheywouldhaveotherwiseneverimaginedandpromotesstudentengagementandlearningonanotherlevel.WearesogratefultothemanyHartfordareaorganizationswhosupportusandwearesoexcitedtoaddStanleytoourlistofexceptionalpartners.”NiColeSchlagheck,Work-BasedLearningandInternshipCoordinatorPathwaysAcademyofTechnologyandDesign
LearningaboutStanleyBlack&DeckerasCorporationandCorporateCitizen
Backat1000StanleyDriveaftertheirfactorytour,thePathwaysstudentshadanopportunitytolearnaboutthewholeofStanleyBlack&DeckerfromtwomembersofourCorporateCommunicationsteam–AbbyVanDeusenandCaraSubasic.
CaraandAbbyspoketothecompany’smanybrandsandhowthosebrandsarepromotedthroughsportingsponsorshipsthatthestudentsmighthaveseen.Theyalsospoketoourcompany’spurposeandvalues,includingareviewofStanleyBlack&Decker’smanycommunitycontributions.
ConnectingtheDots–HowTechnologySupportsandEnablesOurBusinesses
MattGriffiths,theChiefInformationOfficersupportingourIndustrialbusinesses,joinedthegroupbytelepresencefromMassachusetts(thetelepresencesysteminthePitmadequiteanimpressiononthestudents).MattspokeaboutthemanyStanleyproductsintheIndustrialportfoliothatmanypeopledon’tnecessarilyknowabout.Theserangefromindustrialshearstoautomotiverobotsandfastenerstooilandgaspipelines.MattalsospokeabouthowinformationtechnologyplaysalargeroleinthesuccessofthesebusinessesandofhowhisfirstengineeringjobstartedhimonhispersonalpathwaytobecomingaCIO.
LearningfromtheCareerJourneysofOthers
LunchwasservedinthemuseumsectionoftheJohnLundgrenTrainingCenter.Forlunch,JohnandDeepaarrangedforseveralITleadersinNewBritaintocomeandtalkwiththestudentsoverlunch.ThecontingentrepresentedawiderangeofITdisciplinesaswellassomeofthesupportingdisciplinesthatsupportIT.EachonespoketotheirindividualjourneytotheircurrentITrolesatthecompany.
MikeBeaulieu,SteveGolinskiandDanaWellsweretherefromInfrastructureServices.MikeFaga,SueEllenKerr,JohnStankoandMikeWilkinsonweretherefromEnterpriseServices,alongwithJohnLamb.AndDeepaBhatiawastherefromITHumanResources.
Aslunchended,thestudentseachreceivedpartinggiftsofStanleymerchandisethankstotheeffortsofLaurieCaouetteandLeonardMarx.
Insumminguptheday,DavidGoldblumsentalongthefollowingnote:"PathwaystriestomotivatestudentstoenterthefieldsofITandAdvancedManufacturingbyshowingthemwhatitisreallyliketoworkinthosefields;andforyoungpeople,thepersontopersonconnectioniscritical.Byhavingsomanysomanystaffpeoplecomeouttomeetourstudentsandhavelunchwiththem,Stanley,Black&Deckersaidtoourstudents,"wethinkofyouaspotentialemployees".Ican'ttellyouhowimportantthatis."Alltheparticipantsfeltitwasaworthwhileandeducationalexperience–wethinkthestudentsfeltthatwaytoo.