Southwire Awards Half a Million Dollars in Scholarships to Employees
Apr 1, 2019
In March 2018, Southwire announced the investment of more than US$9 million back into the lives of employees through one-time employee bonuses, expanded parental leave and a strengthened commitment to education through the Bridge Scholarship Program, a one-time opportunity for eligible hourly employees seeking to further their education through a two-year degree, four-year degree or technical certification. One year later, 64 employees have been awarded the Bridge Scholarship.
“Building organizational capability is vital to maintaining our great culture and driving business results,” says Kelley Park, Executive Vice President of Human Resources. “We will continue to invest in and develop our workforce. Allowing our employees the chance to continue their education is just one example of that commitment.”
Southwire opened the Bridge Scholarship application for all eligible full-time, hourly employees in August. Three months later, nearly 200 employees had applied for the scholarship. The 64 recipients span 10 states, as well as Canada and Honduras.
“It was important that we were able to spread the money allocated for this program as far as possible,” says Jeanne Buchanan, Senior Director of Employee Resources. “We were excited about the amount of interest we received. Some of our employees never had the opportunity to go to college or continue their education, so this scholarship is a way to make those dreams come true.”
To many, this scholarship is a chance to accomplish a long-time goal.
“Receiving this scholarship opens more doors for me,” says Taff Goodman, Southwire Electrician and Bridge Scholarship Recipient (shown in photo). “After high school, I didn’t have the chance to go to college. Southwire taking the financial burden of going back to school gave me the confidence to challenge myself. There is only so much I can do without a degree, so continuing my education will allow me to take my career to the next level and be valuable to the organization.”
Recipients will begin to enrol in the summer or fall semester of this year. For more information about Southwire’s continued commitment to bettering the lives of employees and creating a culture of trust and inclusion, follow Southwire Community on Facebook.
Southwire Company, LLC is one of North America’s largest wire and cable producers and an emerging influence in the industrial electrical space. Southwire and its subsidiaries manufacture building wire and cable, utility products, metal-clad cable, portable and electronic cord products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, contractor equipment and hand tools. For more on Southwire’s products, its community involvement and its vision of sustainability, visit www.southwire.com.
