By BECCA OWSLEY
The News-Enterprise
Monday, December 10, 2007
HARDIN COUNTY — Bluegrass Cellular in Elizabethtown began a new partnership Monday with the United States Army Recruiting Command to participate in the Partnership for Youth Success program.
PaYS purpose is to reconnect the Army with America by partnering with businesses to grant Army recruits an interview with their company after leaving the military.
“Five years ago it took three weeks to fill an engineering or telecom job, now it takes at least 90 days to fill,” said Sherry Whitman-Powers, director of human resources and support services for Bluegrass Cellular. “This partnership will help meet the need to fill the gap.”
Maj. Gen. Thomas Bostick said the program began with conversations between Army officials and company leaders that wanted to use military-trained people in their companies. Punctuality, respectfulness and a sense of values are a few of the qualities CEOs found in Army-trained personnel.
A partnership developed and Bluegrass Cellular has become the 255th organization in the nation to partner with the program.
When the company began an establishment in Elizabethtown “spouses of military personnel were a good source for employees,” said Ron Smith, president of Bluegrass Cellular.
The military provides “a culture of professionalism and integrity,” Smith said. “The quality of service and quality of employees is a primary importance.”
Bostick and Smith signed the partnership making Bluegrass Cellular the second organization in Kentucky to participate. The other is the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Becca Owsley can be reached at 505-1741 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).