Director of Operations Toby Curry is inspiring the next generation of project managers with a unique job shadowing experience. Following up on a connection through his child’s school, Curry was able to meet with three high school sophomores interested in learning more about project management—a job shadow and tour of the plant created that opportunity.
“They absolutely loved it,” said Curry, “I usually have a hard time keeping adults’ attention, but the students were engaged the whole time.”
At the end of January, Tri-Unity Christian sophomores Keaton, Marcus, and Hezekiah came to the plant for a five-hour job shadow. Curry gave them an in-depth look into the automation industry, and he also shared ways Coastal sets itself apart from bigger manufacturers in the area.
“I saw it less as a typical job shadow and more as a way to talk about the importance of creating a good culture where you work. Coastal has a unique way of doing this, and we’re always looking for opportunities to share.”
The next evening, at a Tri-Unity basketball game, the three students and their principal, Deb Blanker, came up to Curry to share their appreciation for the opportunity—and invited him back to speak at a career fair in the spring.
Curry is excited to continue fostering students interested in automation, engineering and project management. He said, “It was very encouraging to see young people so motivated about their future careers.”
Curry has always had a passion for preparing future professionals—he conducts tours for Careerline Tech students every year, and is starting an operations management intensive course for interested highschoolers.
Learn more about Coastal Automotive and our community in our sustainability report.
