MACON, Ga. — Bibb Schools partnered with Coca Cola this year to provide post-school job opportunities for students.
Cassandra Washington, Bibb Schools' director of the Career Technical and Agriculture Education program known as CTAE, explains their partnership with Coca Cola's recruiter Della Epps.
"[It] actually started last school year with conversation between the industrial authority and Coca-Cola about how they could actually start getting a pipeline of individuals in for material handlers," Washington said.
"We discussed some of the opportunities that we had available at that time and they were modeling the students around what the needs were," Epps said.
Central Georgia Technical College has a dual enrollment certified distribution warehouse pathway. Students complete a one-year course, receive technical credit, and are able to apply to become a material handler for Coca-Cola.
"That's the individual that comes in and works with actually making sure that they're meeting the goals of getting the product on to the trucks that will go out to the community or to the stores or to the consumer," Washington said.
Former Rutland High Football Player Tyson Royal got the job and was quickly promoted shortly after.
By email he said he is "looking forward with moving up and growing with the company."
"After Tyson was doing very well and really being very successful within a couple months, I would say 5-6 months, he had actually been promoted to merchandiser," Washington said.
"We've also employed his brother, so we're hoping to get a lot more referrals that become great employees like him because he has great work ethic and he does a great job," Epps said.
Washington said Royal's first offer with the company was about $15/hour.
Epps says there are many opportunities for upward mobility where employees could make even more.
Washington says there are now six students in the certified distribution warehouse pathway.
You can find a list of jobs available at their Macon warehouse at CocaColaUnited.com/careers.