“ I had a scholarship for classes at NTI,” he explained.“ I picked refrigeration and learned the basics. I heard there was an opening at Tyson and applied there before I finished at NTI. I graduated on Friday and started work on Monday.”
Surber now handles training for the refrigeration department.
“ It’ s much easier when the applicants have the basic skills,” Surber said.
The company offers all types of jobs, covering the scope of what employees would want to do, Delph said. Its many locations also give employees options when it comes to where they might like to work.
“ If you want to work in urban, rural or suburban areas, we can find that in a job with Tyson. We can match a skill set with a location,” Delph said.
If you have or want to get a commercial driver’ s license, Tyson has the largest private transportation fleet in the U. S., Wood said.
Many other jobs can also create a path to leadership roles at Tyson Foods.
“ Welding and machining technicians can be promoted to next-level managers,” Delph said.“ We need 35 to 40 managers per year. We are looking for people who realize their job descriptions are minimum requirements.”
The company is also looking for people who have demonstrated leadership before they applied at the company.
“ We always look for students who have made a difference in programs where they were members,” Delph said.“ Organizations like FFA( Future Farmers of America) and AFA( Agricultural Future of America).”
Any leadership roles in social organizations would also be good on a résumé, Delph added.
Delph said the company has also had success with hiring graduates of the Jobs for America’ s Graduates, or JAG, program.
JAG is a national non-profit organization that prevents students from dropping out of school. The program operates in local schools, including both Har-Ber and Springdale High Schools.
Tyson also has a big intern program, Delph said. Information technology interns work at the Springdale headquarters with some being hired for permanent jobs every year.
“ We have 250 interns across the country and 100 of those are in Northwest Arkansas,” Delph said.
Benefits for Tyson employees include health insurance, 401( k) financial benefits, employee development and tuition reimbursement, Delph said. Prospective employees can apply online at tysonfoodscareers. com.
Surber offered this advice for those wanting to enter the job market: keep learning.
“ Soak it all in as much as you can,” he said.“ Don’ t act like you know it all. Learn from others. They know more than you think.”
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