On March 9th, 2022, the Peshtigo Area Chamber of Commerce held the Peshtigo Area Career, Education, and Community Expo at the Peshtigo Middle & High School. The three-hour program exposed students to the vibrant community where they can live, learn, and work in the future. Brian Bourgeois, HR and Employee Development Manager, and Regan Daley, Chemical Operator, volunteered this year to talk to the students about chemical industry careers.
At the career fair, Brian, and Regan both answered students’ questions on a wide variety of topics ranging from “How to navigate a bad manager” to “What degree should I pursue?” Many of the students found value in hearing about the variety of STEM careers at ChemDesign: such as chemical engineering, lab chemists, and quality analysts. The students were also surprised that manufacturing and trades make up a large percentage of our workforce and can be an equally rewarding career pathway.
Helping Students Navigate Career Pathways
Regan is passionate about being a mentor for children and was excited to share about her job in chemical operations. In her downtime, Regan also volunteers for Big Brother and Big Sisters as a mentor to help struggling youth. The children in the program benefit from having a positive role model like Regan. They are on average less likely to participate in illegal activities, more likely to have success in school, and get along with their families.
Regan shared, “It was nice to visit with students and to see the impact I can have on the next generation. I am thankful for this opportunity to share what I do every day, and I have hope that we will see some excellent chemical operators and chemists in the future.”
The students left the ChemDesign booth with a sense of direction; their smiles showed confidence in their career options and the bright futures they have. ChemDesign sponsors and participates in this event each year as part of its community sustainability initiatives. Are you interested in working for a team that values our community? ChemDesign is an active Marinette and Menominee area employer. Check out our careers page.