When you support KidWorks, you help develop the next generation of chief executive officers, doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists, bankers and entrepreneurs, just to name a few.
That’s because KidWorks programs are designed not only to promote sustained academic success, but also to develop the employees and leaders of tomorrow. We partner with businesses who help us understand the skills and training they are looking for once our students are ready to enter the work world.
An excellent example is PTS Marketing Group, a full service printing and marketing company located in Anaheim.
In late 2017, Pat Merrell, co-founder of PTS, hired Ana Martinez, a KidWorks student since second grade, who now attends Cal Poly Pomona.
“Ana was initially hired to help us with light office administrative duties,” Pat says. “It became clear to us early on that she was capable of so much more. We have been incredibly pleased to train her in various accounting-related tasks. She is now responsible for billing, entering our accounts payable, helping with credit card reconciliation and much more.”
In addition to providing Ana with this career opportunity, Pat has supported KidWorks in other ways as well. He’s been a generous supporter of the KidWorks Classic Golf Tournament, providing signage and printing, along with donating wine from We Believe Winery of Healdsburg, California, where he is co-founder and chief operating officer. Pat is also a member of our Fund Development Committee.
Ana says Pat and PTS have introduced her to the business world in ways she had not previously imagined.
“It’s not common for a college student to have the type of job I have at PTS,” she says. “I am surrounded by a group of well-established professionals who are successful in their careers. They motivate me to keep learning. Even though the work world can be demanding, completing a task provides such a feeling of accomplishment.”
Pat strongly advocates that other businesses in Southern California consider the benefits of partnering with KidWorks.
“Companies will be impressed with the great work KidWorks does, and the opportunities it provides for those who are willing to work hard,” Pat says. “The children and young adults participating in their programs are highly motivated and intelligent individuals. Today, when there are limited employment opportunities available to young adults entering the workforce, KidWorks is precisely the type of organization where companies should be looking for truly driven employee candidates.”
Ana says PTS has provided her with the kind of training that a fast food and other lower level job never could.
“My very first job was in a coffee shop, but PTS is giving me hands-on professional experience that I could only get in a job that requires more of me,” she says. “Pat and PTS have involved me in very large projectsthat make me determined to get it right the first time because of the trust they have in me. Now, I’m even more motivated to pursue my college studies to be an accountant; I’m also considering other areas of focus in the area of finance.”
Ana says her years as a KidWorks student prepared her a meaningful career.
“KidWorks prepared me well for a real world job,” she says. “The summer programs were especially beneficial because of the different responsibilities I was given, coordinating events and working in teams. Those experiences helped me gain valuable leadership and communication skills.”
“We are very grateful to Pat and PTS Marketing for providing career opportunities to students like Ana and for making such a vital investment in the workforce of tomorrow,” says Lisa Gels, Associate Director of Development at KidWorks. “Companies can do this in so many ways, including career workshops, internships and actual employment. It’s a great way to help their companies grow now and into the future.”
By Glenn Leibowitz, volunteer writer
If you are you a Southern California business who may be interested in partnering with KidWorks to provide career guidance and experiences to our youth, please contact Lisa Gels, Associate Director of Development at: lisa.gels@kidworksoc.orgor714.834.9400.