"You don't have to go far to find great, great jobs. You don't have to go to St. Louis. You don't have to go to Chicago. There are opportunities right here in your own backyard." - Leslie Karcher, CHI, Marketing

"If you gather anything out of today, remember innovation and adapting." - Jason Renfro, CHI, Training Coordinator

"You can start very small and build something up." - Mitch Newell, CHI, Talent & Recruiting Manager

Today kicked off our September visit to CHI Nucor in Arthur. CHI is not only one of our investors, but they are some of our biggest supporters - organizing multiple visits and speakers from various areas of their enterprise, providing multiple mentors for our program, and supporting our class businesses.

But, they didn't just talk to us about CHI Nucor. They talked to us about getting started in life, how to find the jobs that are right for us, and how there are myriad job opportunities for us right here in our communities.

Leslie Karcher, Jason Renfro & Mitch Newell joined forces this morning to tell us about how Coach House Garages literally started in one man's garage, and through innovation and adaptation grew into a company that Nucor paid $3 billion for in 2022, with over $40 billion in sales.

Renfro walked us through the history of CHI and Nucor, the various divisions and service centers, and their focus on sustainability and safety.

Newell emphasized the power of networking - both at work and in your life outside of work, transparency, and the core values he recommends we focus on: honor, dignity, teamwork and putting others before yourself.

Today's trio at CHI also asked us to remember that sometimes an entry-level job is just a starting point.

"That may be your starting point, but not your finish," Karcher says. "What you are interviewing for is not where you will end up."

"Be mindful of what you're currently able to do [in your life], and then maximize that," Newell says. "Make your best shot."

What did he mean by that? "Just because you don't think manufacturing is 'your job', you can use it to find your long-term job."

Karcher agrees. "Don't ever go into something thinking 'It's not worth my time.'" Use each opportunity to grow the next opportunity, and eventually we will find the job for us. Maybe even right here in Central Illinois.

And, just to prove he was listening, Gavin took his best shot at the end of class, pitching an opportunity to sponsor our badges to Karcher at the end of class today.

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