Air Products was on hand at an ITI Technical College graduation ceremony which honored one of Air Products’ supervisors, Jerald Hardy, on September 23, 2011 at the Healing Place Church, on Highland Rd., in Baton Rouge, LA.  Jeff Bellelo, (Operations Manager at Air Products, Louisiana) promoted an idea that he had for Air Products to assist the local community.  This idea was to partner with ITI Technical College of Baton Rouge in providing a mentor to adopt two Process Technology (PTEC) classes from the very beginning of their 22-month associate degree program and following them all the way to graduation.

Jeff Bellelo thought that a mentoring pilot program would be beneficial to both the ITI PTEC students and Air Products.  Connecting the students with someone from Air Products who knows a lot about what it takes to be successful as a process operator, would get them excited about learning and to focus on preparing themselves for a job while they are still in school.  Some of these prepared students could make excellent candidates for hiring process operators in the future for Air Products.

Jeff Bellelo hand-picked a volunteer who would later prove to be a great mentor to pilot the mentoring program.  Jerald Hardy met with his two adopted classes (morning & evening) on November 18, 2009.  Jerald shared his experiences and background to the classes and the students shared a little information about themselves as well.  They exchanged emails and would use this form of communication to ask questions.  Two months later, Jerald gave a tour of one of the Air Products plants to his students.

About a month after the tour, Jerald came and visited his classes to follow up on their school progress (grades and attendance) and talked about accountability and just to spend time with his classes.  The students’ interests were heightened and enthusiasm was contagious as the visit lasted longer than expected.  The students were most interested when their mentor (Jerald Hardy) discussed the topic of “How to Interview for a Job”.  Jerald would periodically check in on the classes throughout their 22-month program, and even had one of his students intern with him at his Air Products plant for three months while still in school.  This student is now an Air Products employee and doing well.

At graduation, Jerald Hardy was proud to be on stage to congratulate his students on a job well done.  Jeff Bellelo and Mike Hoormann were also on stage as well. Jeff Bellelo hand-picked another mentor in Mike Hoormann, who will see his own students graduate on December 16, 2011.

The two mentors (Jeff Hardy and Mike Hoormann) from Air Products have motivated their students through discussion of important soft skills, have educated their students through a description of how their plant operates and produces product through tours and presentations, and have monitored the students throughout their college program.  These mentors have provided the availability of an accountability partner for the student.  PTEC students in this mentoring program receive inspiration and encouragement through this partnership of ITI Technical College (education) and Air Products (industry).