AGM Container Controls is partnering with a local high school to help students achieve education and workforce success. AGM added four San Miguel Cristo Rey High School students to their workforce, including 14-year-old high school freshman Aurora Cupis, as part of a Corporate Internship Program. Aurora and the three other students will rotate working one day per week at AGM for the whole school year. In return, AGM pays a fee to the school that supports 60% of each student’s tuition at the private, college preparatory high school.
“My mom told me she sees family members who have no college degree who are fearful of getting laid off,” said Aurora. “She told me I have to I graduate high school and go on to college to make my future better, to live my dream.”
Aurora, who attended Chaparral Middle School and is one of 11 children, heard about San Miguel Cristo Rey High School from her cousin. The high school, which has a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate, offers its students college preparatory classes and corporate internships that provide real-world work experience, local business connections and college tuition assistance. San Miguel currently works with more than 90 local businesses, ranging in size from 3 to 300 employees, to provide entry-level professional work one day per week for its students. San Miguel’s in-house employment agency manages the partnerships, handling training, transportation and troubleshooting as needed.
“We want to make this work-study opportunity a positive experience for the kids,” said Howard N. Stewart, AGM’s President and CEO. “I want to make these internships a positive learning experience for each one of these students. Accordingly, we’re putting together a checklist for the students to ensure that they get exposed to all possible facets of the company.”
In business for more than 40 years, AGM manufactures environmental control hardware for containers that hold missiles and other sensitive equipment, as well as a line of wheelchair lifts that enable those with disabilities access to stages and platforms in public venues.
