As a sophomore in high school, Hayden was able to take his first robotics course. While in the class, he learned of ABB’s new local apprenticeship program. He was enjoying robotics, had heard good things about the company, and saw friends enter the program. He knew being a part of the program would give him an early start. After submitting his application and going through the interview process, we are proud to welcome Hayden as a 2020/2021 Youth Apprentice in our Fort Smith, Arkansas motor plant.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I get up around 7:30 since the start of school has been pushed back a bit. I’m at the high school for my first four periods, two of which are concurrent classes with UA Fort Smith. Then I go to UAFS where I take computer science, PLC applications, and robot operations classes. Then from 4:00 to 7:00 Monday through Thursday I work here.
How do you like to spend time outside of work and school?
I like to be with my friends and family, and I definitely enjoy camping and being outside. Last December I built my own computer with the help of a friend. I like technology like that. I’ve taken a lot of hardware classes, and I love to be hands-on.
What do you think you'll take away from this program?
I hope to get skills will that will be beneficial to my employer. I’ve already learned a lot about working with robots, understanding how a motor is made, safety, part of Lean Six Sigma. I’ve learned a lot from a lot of different areas.
What have you learned about manufacturing since you’ve been here?
I was definitely blown away when we first came to tour the plant. Everything is so clean and bright – that’s good. The plant is so big, it just seems like it goes on forever. But even with that, it definitely has an organized flow going. You move from one process to the next, and it is very orderly.
