A COOL CAREER WITH ADVANCEMENT
Creative solutions and endless possibilities can drive your career at this Springdale company.
AMERICAN TUBING INTERNATIONAL makes copper and aluminum parts used in air conditioners and offers careers ranging from production team members to engineers.“ What we do is different than any other business in the state,” explains Chuck Lewis, company president.“ We want people who are mechanically inclined, but more importantly we need people with the right attitude who recognize opportunity.”
Issaac Hight saw his opportunity. He builds new machines for the company.“ Some days are easy, but others challenge me, and I like that. It’ s not boring,” he says. Hight says a hobby growing up helped him learn mechanical skills like welding.“ As a kid, I had a go cart that I worked on a lot. I was always interested in mechanics and learned from other people.” He plans to keep learning and moving up.“ I’ m interested in drafting. I have a little experience with computer aided drafting, but nothing as advanced as what we use here and I’ d like to learn that.”
Pam Ford learned most of her skills on the job at American Tubing. She’ s a quality assurance coordinator in charge of making sure products meet customer standards.“ I started out in production at a time when we were changing some of our production processes, and I was able to move up and carve out a spot for myself in quality control.”
She says taking initiative and stepping up are the keys to getting ahead, no matter what company you work for. But she says there’ s something at American Tubing you won’ t find anywhere else.“ I’ ve never worked with a better group of people. When my house burned down, every manager here checked on me to make sure I was ok. You don’ t get that at other companies.”
Brad Scott also found something special at American Tubing— a second chance.“ I started through a work release program. Within five years, I went from work release to being a supervisor.” Scott’ s work ethic and willingness to learn earned him promotions, but he admits it’ s not always easy.“ When we’ re busy, I’ ll put in 11 or 12 hours a day, six days a week. But the people here make it an enjoyable work environment.” Scott works in an area of the company that manufactures aluminum parts.“ It’ s not what you think of when you picture a factory. I worked in another factory when I was younger, and I hated it! This is a different environment. It’ s not dark and dirty. It’ s robots doing most of the physical work.”
Wayne Meadors is a production supervisor who also worked his way up.“ I started right out of high school at the lowest level job on the production floor.” He soon realized there were opportunities to advance.“ I moved around and learned everything I could,” he says. The company even paid for him to take computer classes.“ If you show you’ re dedicated to making a career here, you’ ll get noticed. This company won’ t promote you to a job and then expect you to figure it out on your own. They’ ll give you the tools and training you need.”
Everyone at American Tubing takes a test when they’ re hired to check basic reading, writing and math skills. The company then offers classes to help team members improve and make sure they have the opportunity to reach their potential.“ This is a good company,” Meadors says.“ If you’ re willing to learn, there’ s always someone who will help you.”
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