GenComm Shares Career Possibilities with Students
GenComm is proud to be a premier provider of public safety solutions in the Midwest, with a team of experts ready to meet our customers’ diverse communication needs. But industry-wide, as employees with vast technical knowledge look to retire, companies are challenged in finding qualified candidates to take their place.
To attract more individuals in pursuit of careers in the radio communications field, GenComm has made efforts to promote the industry and highlight the importance of such roles in ensuring public safety and well-functioning communities. In late 2023, GenComm was pleased to participate in three educational events aligned with this goal.
At Pilgrim Park Middle School in Elm Grove, WI, GenComm Sales Manager Lori Hays presented to three dozen students in three, 30-minute sessions as part of a career day event. Hays’ initiative is to expose young people to careers in radio communications and to further develop the future workforce.
Prior to this visit, Hays and Scott Lesniewski, a Territory Manager at GenComm’s Milwaukee office, represented GenComm in Madison, WI at the Dane County School Consortium FutureQuest event. Over 5,000 middle school students visited the Alliant Energy Center to connect with companies from various career pathways and explore future job possibilities. GenComm’s booth showcased a demo police vehicle, included examples of two-way radios, and displayed a video on building lights and sirens inside vehicles.
“Students in this age group know what a walkie talkie is as a fun toy, but not the importance of two-way radios to the safety of their communities,” says Hays. “Most of them are not aware of how important and critical these radio systems are, or what happens behind the scenes, especially when equipment breaks.”
Additionally, as part of the C.O.O.L. Teen Leadership Program in the Wisconsin Rapids, WI area, 18 high school sophomores toured GenComm’s facility there. Sponsored by the Heart of Wisconsin’s Chamber of Commerce, the initiative improves students’ understanding of Community, Occupations, Organizations, and Leadership skills to form the next generation of leaders.
While at GenComm, the students spoke with an installer engineer and gained insights on the many occupations available within the company and industry. “There is an incredible demand to fill these jobs in the coming years,” adds Hays, “and exposing students to such professions early is one important strategy in building awareness and interest as the kids move toward deciding on a career path.”
With so many young people unaware of the critical importance of technology like two-way radios or upfitted vehicles, GenComm is committed to continued education and promotion of the field and its great career possibilities.