New Lakeland, Sargento partnership addresses several needs
Lakeland University is partnering with Sargento Foods to create unique job opportunities for LU students. The new effort – part of LU’s Cooperative Education program – will help students gain valuable work experience and help Sargento fill open positions.
The partnership is designed to address challenges Lakeland students faced when working production roles and the corresponding work schedules, which often conflicted with their school schedule.
Companies across the state of Wisconsin and the United States are feeling the effects of a nationwide labor shortage that has accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s New
Lakeland students will work 16 hours per week, which is typical for students who work for any organization while taking full-time coursework. Students can work flexible 4- or 8-hour shifts at Sargento that accommodate their academic schedules.
“By creating a more flexible scheduling format, we can better accommodate students participating in our Cooperative Education program,” said Lakeland President Beth Borgen. “We continue to find ways to adjust our innovative Co-Op program to fit the needs of local employers and our students.
“Ultimately this creates a richer learning environment while also developing a direct talent pipeline for the area’s employers and significantly reducing or eliminating college debt for our students. This is simply a win-win for all involved.
“A big thank you to Sargento for being a creative partner and making these opportunities more accessible to our students, who will gain valuable experience, earn college credits and earn competitive wages and benefits to offset tuition.”
The program was especially designed for Lakeland’s football players, who have an intense pre-season training camp in August followed by busy weeks that include practices and games to go with their coursework. These part-time positions pay over $21 an hour and offer tuition benefits after 90 days of employment.
“This is a huge win for our guys who are looking for ways to continue earning income in the fall season,” said Lakeland Head Football Coach Colin Bruton. “I am appreciative of the hard work that LU and Sargento were able to put into this partnership for the benefit of all.”
While the partnership was built with Lakeland football players in mind, it is available to all LU students, including those enrolled in evening and online classes through the Kellett School.
For more information or to learn more, students should contact a Cooperative Education team member at career@lakeland.edu. Deadline for students interested is August 30.
About Sargento Foods:
With over 2,000 employees and net sales of $1.5 billion, Sargento Foods is a family-owned company that has been a leader in cheese for more than 65 years. Founded in 1953 in Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sargento is proud to be the company that successfully introduced America to pre-packaged sliced and shredded natural cheeses and cheese blends. Today, Sargento Foods is still based in Wisconsin, where they manufacture and market amazing shredded, sliced and snack natural cheese products, as well as ingredients and sauces. Company leadership lives to serve local communities and employees, whom they refer to as the Sargento Family. www.sargento.com
