12 For Life
One in three students starting first grade in a Carroll County, Georgia classroom this fall will not graduate. That statistic signals an alarming trend that reaches across the country. For a variety of reasons, a significant number of students doing poorly in school see dropping out as their only choice. Hoping to cut that number, Southwire and the Carroll County School System are working together on 12 for Life, an innovative program that seeks to place at-risk students in real jobs at Southwire, allowing them to earn wages while earning credit toward a diploma. 12 for Life seeks to instill in students the belief that if they complete a full 12 years of education, they will have better lives. By combining traditional classroom instruction with jobs inside a real manufacturing plant, this unique partnership between Southwire and the Carroll County School System gives students the best of both worlds. They work regular hours; they earn actual wages; they learn skills they will need after they graduate. Most importantly, they stay in school. Students attend class in a traditional setting for part of the day and work a fourhour shift in the plant for the remainder. Some additional instruction takes place in the manufacturing area while the students are working. Southwire employees share their time and experience through a mentoring program that provides one-on-one support. Students are rotated from workstation to workstation, so they gain experience throughout the manufacturing process. They learn a variety of job skills; including machine operation, logistics, product and reel assembly, shipping, quality assurance and data entry. Guest speakers and tours of various Southwire facilities give students an even broader grasp of the range of jobs available and a personal glimpse of what those jobs entail. Many U.S. employers have complained that it is increasingly difficult to find job applicants with strong work ethics. Because they are actual Southwire employees, 12 for Life students learn the importance of promptness, hard work and dedication to the job. When they later apply for a permanent job at Southwire or elsewhere their 12 for Life record is proof of their work ethic.