First State Manufacturing partners with Cape High for textiles internships
The Cape Henlopen High School textiles program and First State Manufacturing have partnered to bring internship opportunities to students participating in the textiles program at the high school. First State Manufacturing will mentor two to four students over an eight-week summer program that will include working in various areas of the expanding manufacturing facility located in Milford.
The partnership developed over several months of conversation, tours of the manufacturing facility, administration of sewing tests and both parties' enthusiasm for what each of them brings to the project. “I had no idea when I contacted First State in October of last year to see if they would be interested in allowing our students to tour the manufacturing plant, that this would be the start of anything like this opportunity," said Alayna Aiken, textiles instructor for Cape Henlopen High School.
“I just wanted an interesting place to tour on our way to buying fabric for our program and what resulted was so much more. I keep saying that I’m going to get my resumé together too so that I can apply for the summer program. It’s one thing to give a kid a job for the summer; it is another to help them grow so that when they enter the workplace they have a jumping-off point and this is a great opportunity.”
“This is a competitive program with cover letter, resumé and application required prior to any interview process,” said Vice President of Manufacturing Operations Tim Wentland. “We realized when Ms. Aiken’s class came to tour our facility and we decided to work with them to take our sewing test, that there was a talent pool that we could harness and potentially develop. First State Manufacturing likes to promote from within, and this could be a very good start for someone or it could simply be a really good addition to a job or college application. It truly depends on the individual.
The internship program is open to Cape Henlopen textiles students or enrolled high school students with a background in sewing, ages 15 and up, and will be paid with a tailored eight-week rotation that may include the front offices, engineering, shipping, receiving, inventory, quality control, production stations and sewing lines.
First State Manufacturing provides quality upholstery and cut and sewing services to the U.S. military, municipalities and a broad array of commercial customers. FSM has earned a reputation for providing solutions that solve the challenges its customers face, while continuing to grow manufacturing jobs in Sussex County.
To learn more about First State Manufacturing, go to www.FirstStateMfg.com, or call 302-424-4520. To contact The Cape Henlopen High School textiles program, call 302-645-7711, Ext. 2111.
