ABOUT US
WHERE INDUSTRY COLLABORATES WITH EDUCATION
WHERE INDUSTRY COLLABORATES WITH EDUCATION
Mission:
To provide a work-based learning model that any industry can utilize to bridge the skills gap. Combining classroom instruction with on the job work based learning opportunities. This program integrates the classroom with employers to create an introduction to a career path of the student's choice.
What Our Program Provides:
The program simplifies the relationship between an industry lead business and vocational education that can lead into a career path. We ask for no money. Our “ask” is for your time. Time to integrate a student into your business to create a career fit. It starts with 10 hours and can grow into a new employee. Can you “Give Me Ten?”
Vision:
To integrate the students with a business partner to create a career path that is beneficial to both. To enhance education and career growth by providing the student with possible grant opportunities, internships, and apprenticeship paths. This pathway begins when the student and employer enter the “Give Me Ten” program.
Experience:
This program is designed to partner a student with a specific business/industry leader and combine classroom instruction with on-the-job training. One of the best ways a business owner can create its own skilled workforce is through internships.
Objectives:
Businesses partnering with students to explore a future career in the industry of their choice. Take the student out of the classroom and give them a work-based learning experience. Each student will be matched with a business near the home school location. Expose students to general operations of any industry/business from front office to general operations. This experience is not limited.
About Our Founder:
I grew up in the automotive business. My father was a service trainer for Uniroyal back in the 60’s. In his spare time, he would take my brother and me to flea markets to sell tires and parts. I never dreamed nor planned that one day I’d be a shop owner.
My formal education was at Northeastern Illinois University where I earned my Associate’s Degree. Once I started my family, my intent was to be a stay-at-home mom.
My dad lost his job with Uniroyal when they sold off their retail stores and restructured the company. That’s when he decided to buy the Uniroyal store in Waukegan and call it Closs Tire & Auto. He asked me to help with the back-office paperwork since he needed cheap help. So, as I believe a daughter should, I entered the business in 1984, and never left.
We decided I should attend Triton College for automotive service repair classes. Dad wanted me to be able to understand how a vehicle operated, so when a customer asked me a question, I could answer it intelligently. In 2014, my dad’s health started to decline, so I started to run the business with his guidance. I officially became sole owner in 2019. My dad passed in 2020.
As I slowly took over the business, I identified the issues with hiring technicians. I could see and understand the issues our industry was having finding new talent.
In 2017, I attended my first advisory meeting at my local tech campus to see what it had to offer. The tech campus was having an issue with getting an internship program up and running. I told the instructor I thought I could help.
I went back to work and wrote a simple internship program called Give Me Ten. I integrated a group of independent shop owners to take on this internship program, and they enthusiastically agreed. Through my relationship with industry and the tech campus, I have been fortunate to grow this program. I brought this program to University of the Aftermarket at Northwoods through Leadership 2.0, and verified that this program is exactly what our industry needs. I am passionate about this program and I hope with the help from instructors around the country and the shop owners, we CAN make a difference! This can be done by using my simple formula, and it all starts with our participants saying “YES” to Give Me Ten!