When an Elpis Enterprises intern completes their duration of time with the organization, there are many new opportunities for jobs ahead of them. One place that has been a foothold partnership providing former Elpis interns jobs outside of school is Keller Fence.
Keller Fence has partnered with Elpis over the last decade bringing interns into the workforce once they’ve completed their time with the non-profit. The partnership was formed between Elpis Executive Director Paul Ramsour and Tim Dyrhaug of Keller Fence.
“Paul and I connected as we were donating our cedar lumber that we took out of people’s backyards and he was repurposing it for the programming,” said Dyrhaug. “That went on for a couple of years and then shortly thereafter I joined the board and I’ve been on it for nearly a decade.”
The decade-long partnership between Keller and Elpis has seen multiple interns continue their journey into the fencing trade, mainly those who have worked within Elpis’s woodworking program.
“It’s been a good starting point for them. They’ve learned some skills, have stayed with us for a season, or moved on to what they would really like to do for a career. It’s sometimes a stepping stone to their next opportunity,” Dyrhaug said.
There are many places to find young adults interested in having their first summer job with a fencing company. Dyrahug expressed there is no better place to find seasonal help than Elpis because of the help they provide these young adults with their situations.
“The mission is what was the main draw which is providing work skills to the interns. It’s not just a program that hands out openings, it makes these young adults think about their future, what’s important, and how to develop skills that will allow them to move on to their next phase of life,” said Dyrhaug.
“Fortunately, we have an inside track with Paul, and Paul can give us some insights on how these interns have developed through their stay at Elpis. He can provide us with background on them and for the ones who are interested in the trades are the best fit for our industry and company. That’s how they come to us and we work with a number of them and we currently have two on staff and we’re very happy with the results in how these young adults have developed.”
Interns from Elpis do bring with them skills they are hoping to develop further from the woodworking program, but even when they go to Keller Fence for a seasonal position, Dyrhaug knows this may not be their full-time job going forward. However, the experience they can provide is worthwhile for these interns and their futures.
“They help fill a need for us during our heavy season and it allows them to put something on their resume as meaningful employment outside of Elpis. So they can transfer that to something that they truly want to do. Every now and again, we get someone who wants to stick with us for another season and others we keep the doors open. As long as we do that, everyone wins in that situation,” said Dyrhaug.
The opportunities for these interns are what matter most both for Elpis and Keller Fence, and seeing what they gain from these opportunities is what has kept these long-lasting partnerships going for 10 years and counting.
“Giving them an opportunity, we just like to see them progress. That’s the single biggest factor for Elpis and for Keller, we just want to see these young adults move forward. Like I said before, it may not be with us for a career but it’s keeping the progress going and that is something important to myself and it’s also important to Elpis.”
Currently, two former Elpis interns are working with Keller Fence, Tim Hale and Kiva Wadley, both of which have been excellent additions to Keller’s team this summer according to Dyrhaug.
“We’re excited about the two guys we have right now. They’re working out really well, seem to be a couple of kids who are very interested in the trade and we’re excited to see them grow.”
