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Schools, training programs emphasize work ethic
By DENNIS QUICK
Senior Staff Writer
Jim Young, human resources manager for the 200-employee Mikasa distribution center in Cainhoy, tells of Mikasa workers who have walked off their $8-an-hour jobs after only a few months, and in some cases just after a few hours.
The workers did not notify their supervisors, they simply left. Since most of the workers operated machinery that loaded trucks, deliveries were delayed and productivity hampered. Also, Mikasa wasted the two months it invested in training the employees, says Young, who estimates that during the past year about 30 Mikasa employees abandoned their jobs without giving notice.
“It has nothing to do with how much they’re making. It’s not about dollars and cents. It’s work ethic,” he says.
Although experts agree that upbringing determines how hard we work and how responsible we are, some say that work ethic can be taught in schools.
“You have to keep telling kids how important it is to get to work on time,” says Jodi Bateman, a facilitator for the Charleston County School District’s School-to-Careers program, which introduces students from sixth grade through high school to the world of work and careers. “They learn through repetition. Teachers tell them and business owners tell them.”
American LaFrance’s emergency vehicle manufacturing facility in Ladson has experienced similar issues. There workers earn from about $11.75 per hour to $13 per hour. Human resource manager Brad Walbert tells of a welder who walked off the job after complaining of “too much welding.” In other cases, new hires failed to show up for orientation without notifying the company.
“We have good employees,” Walbert says of the 650-employee facility. “It’s just that 2 percent to 3 percent that cause problems because of their work ethic.”
The school district’s program, a result of the state’s 1994 School-to-Work Transition Act, should help companies like American LaFrance and Mikasa by better preparing students to enter the workforce. It includes classroom presentations from business owners, internships, class field trips to businesses and job-shadowing initiatives in which students observe professionals in the workplace.
Because poor interpersonal skills and frequent tardiness are among the top reasons for workers getting fired, the School-to-Careers program stresses the importance of getting along with others in the workplace and workplace punctuality, Bateman says.
Students learn interpersonal skills through role-playing, Bateman explains. They learn punctuality by submitting assignments on time and arriving to class on time.
“We tell teachers not to let students off the hook,” Bateman says. “If kids are late with an assignment or late to class, there has to be some consequence.”
At Dorchester School District Two, children also learn the importance of having a good work ethic through the district’s School-to-Work program, which tries to match students to careers of their interest and aptitude, says program coordinator Janice Jolly.
“Being responsible, being punctual, being dependable and thinking on your feet are some of the things we emphasize,” Jolly notes.
Students participating in School-to-Work internships are graded and must submit a timesheet and an evaluation from their employer, Jolly says. Additionally, they are required to keep a journal about their work experience, attend work-related meetings and take a final examination. The School-to-Work program is open to students of all grades, even pre-kindergarteners.
Work ethic is a characteristic that directors of job-training programs try to evaluate in program applicants. It’s a trait that includes attitude, commitment, punctuality, personal appearance and demeanor, says Jennifer DeWitt, spokeswoman for the Lowcountry Manufacturers Council, an organization of more than 100 companies dedicated to developing the region’s manufacturing sector.
The LMC offers a training program for those seeking manufacturing jobs. In addition to having their math, reading and other cognitive skills tested, job applicants are judged on how they present themselves and how they interact with their peers and instructors, factors which can reveal the applicant’s work ethic and determine if the applicant graduates from the program, says DeWitt.
“Manufacturing is very team-oriented,” she points out, adding that most manufacturers operate around the clock on three work shifts. “Employees have to arrive at work on time. If one person is late on the shift, that affects the whole production.” During the training program, instructors note if applicants arrive late for class or for interviews.
Another way to gauge an employee’s work ethic is to review his or her work experience and see how long the employee held previous jobs, says Paul Connerty, director of the Trident One Stop Career System in Hanahan. Trident One Stop helps strengthen the Lowcountry’s workforce through training programs.
Also, perseverance in getting test scores up to job requirement standards and showing up for training sessions in evenings and during weekends, even when no job is guaranteed, are signs of a candidate’s solid work ethic, Connerty says.
Dennis Quick is senior staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail him at dquick@crbj.com.
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