THORNGATE WELCOMES STUDENTS INTO THE WORLD OF WORK

Amy Lungwitz, right, stamped the lining of sleeves as her trainer, Dana Bomar, watched at the Thorngate plant in Cape Girardeau.

Terry Greable, left, and Jeremy Atchley fused coat material.

Six Cape Central High School students are learning firsthand about the world of work in an innovative program started this year at Thorngate Ltd.

"This is the first time we've used students," said Frank Adams, vice president and general manager of Thorngate's Cape Girardeau operations. "It's a pilot project for Thorngate."

Thorngate, like many other industries in the immediate Southeast Missouri area, needs workers.

"We met with school officials to set up a program which would be beneficial to Thorngate and students," Adams said. "We would provide work for students and it would give us extra workers."

"This is a great opportunity for students to have a chance to work in the real workplace," said Jerry Witvoet, a school counselor in Cape Girardeau district. "It puts them into an adult's world as far as employment is concerned."

Witvoet, Judith Holshouser, a counselor at the Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech School, Harold Tilley, director of the vo-tech school, and Dan Tallent, principal of at Cape Central, were involved in setting up the student program.

Adams said the jobs provide students with good work hours and teach them what to expect in the workplace.

The students currently work with the program during the second shift, which starts at 2:30 p.m. They comprise a six-member module, preparing men's coats and vests for the sewing room.

Hours will change when school starts.

"The students will be working a half-shift then," Adams said. "They will come in 3 to 3:30 p.m. and be off four hours later."

The students have learned their jobs quickly..

"This is a model program, and we have a model group of students here," Adams said. "They're seeing what real life is and they're accepting it in a disciplined way. These students' parents and friends should be proud of them."

Teaching students responsibilities and what makes the work world go around is one of the advantages of this student program, Adams said.

At Thorngate, students have the advantage of training supervisors like Luke Landgraf and Dana Bomar, who are available to provide special assistance.

Sherry Pollard likes her position with the company.

"It fits my schedule," said Pollard, one of the six-member module team that prepares sections of coats for the sewing room at the coat, vest and pants manufacturing facility at 1507 Independence. "The pay is good and I like it here."

Pollard sews "bar" labels into the sleeves of coats.

Rick Hastings is another member of module number seven and works in "fusing," placing an inner lining into sections of coats.

"It's helping me pay for my car," said Hastings, who is doing assembly-type work for the first time.

Module seven employees are Pollard, Hastings, Terry Greable, Amy Lungwitz, Jerime Atchley and Alisha Petty, who will be juniors and seniors at Cape Central High School this fall.

"I like it," Atchley said. "The working conditions and pay are good." Atchley, a senior at Cape Central this fall, plans to enlist in the Navy following graduation.

Greable, meanwhile, is looking to a career in heating and air-conditioning. "Besides working here part time this fall, I'll be taking Vo-Tech classes in refrigeration this fall," he said.

Amy Lungwitz, who stamps certain materials ready for the sewing room assembly, said she would be telling her friends about the program.

"It's great," she said. "And, as we learn we receive raises." Lungwitz will be a senior at Cape Central this fall.

Petty, who is involved in sewing labels, is a junior at Cape Central.

Assembly module number seven has surprised some people since it was organized more than a month ago.

"This unit has progressed much faster than I ever expected," said Mike Swain, second shift cutting room manager.

"Their report cards verify this," added Landgraf, training manager at Thorngate. "Actually, we don't have report cards, but we monitor all employees here, and this module is doing very well."

"They work a full workweek," Adams said. "And, we couldn't be happier."

The students receive full pay and benefits, including paid holidays.

"They had their first paid holiday the Fourth of July holiday," Adams said. "They were surprised."

Thorngate, the largest manufacturer of men's clothing in the world, is a major employer in the region, It has 600 workers in Cape Girardeau and 300 at Chaffee. The Cape Girardeau plant is so busy it already operates three shifts.