Beyond the Tassel: Taking Students Behind the Scenes at Ascend Performance Materials
What does a career in manufacturing actually look like? What happens inside the plants and facilities that help create the products we use every day? And what does it take to land one of those jobs after high school?
These are the kinds of questions we hope to answer through Beyond the Tassel, a South Baldwin Chamber and Foundation Community Workforce initiative designed to connect students with local industries, career opportunities, and the people working in them.
To kick off the program, students had the opportunity to step inside Ascend Performance Materials’ Foley facility for a behind-the-scenes look at modern manufacturing and the many career paths available within the industry.
From Raw Materials to Everyday Products
For many students, manufacturing can be difficult to picture from the outside. During our visit to Ascend, they were able to see firsthand what happens inside a local manufacturing facility and learn about the materials being produced right here in Foley.
Ascend develops high-performance materials that are used across a wide range of industries and everyday products, including automotive, electrical and electronics, consumer and industrial products, healthcare, textiles and more. (Ascend Performance Materials)
Seeing that connection firsthand was one of the most impactful parts of the experience. Students weren’t simply hearing about manufacturing; they were seeing the operation behind it and learning how materials produced locally can become part of products used around the world.
Learning From the People Doing the Work
A key part of Beyond the Tassel is allowing students to learn directly from professionals in the careers they are exploring. At Ascend, students heard from employees who provided a true “boots on the ground” perspective of the facility, its operations, and the roles that keep it running.
Joe Woods, Sr. HR Business Partner, also discussed the qualifications and skills needed for positions within the company before opening the floor for a candid Q&A. Students asked practical questions about shift schedules, vacation time, pay schedules, and job requirements. They also learned the steps needed to apply and the qualifications needed to pursue a career at Ascend, giving them a clearer understanding of how they can prepare if they are interested in joining the company after graduation.
Connecting Students to Their Future
That is the heart of Beyond the Tassel. The goal isn’t to tell students what career they should choose. It is to expose them to the possibilities available right here in our community, introduce them to professionals in different industries, and help them make more informed decisions about what comes next.
Ascend’s Foley facility was an incredible place to begin that journey. Students were able to see a major local employer from the inside, learn about the products and processes that support industries around the world, and hear directly from employees about the skills and qualifications that can open doors to careers in manufacturing.
And perhaps most importantly, they were able to start making connections between what they are learning today and where those skills could take them tomorrow.
A Community Effort
Beyond the Tassel is made possible through the support of community partners, and we are especially grateful to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Gulf Coast for their continued partnership. Their mentors provide students with additional guidance and career conversations, while their team also provided lunch for students and mentors during the Ascend experience.
A student’s path after high school can take many directions, and Beyond the Tassel is about helping them see those possibilities firsthand. Our visit to Ascend was a great example of what can happen when schools, businesses, and community organizations come together to connect students with the world beyond the
classroom.
This is just the beginning, and we look forward to taking students beyond the tassel and into the businesses, industries, and careers shaping the future of South Baldwin County.
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