News & Events Archive
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University of Illinois senior and College Works intern starts catering company
Jeremy Mandell and Daniel Krause aren't crazy; they're Cracked.
The two University of Illinois seniors plan to start operating a food truck on the University of Illinois campus in August. They'll serve breakfast sandwiches to students from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, likely parking their truck on Mathews Avenue near University High School and the Siebel Center for Computer Science. A few eggs may need to be broken to make those sandwiches — thus the name of the business: Cracked. This won't be Mandell's first brush with business. He had his own racquet restringing business and operated a College Works Painting branch in Winnetka. Krause, meanwhile, has worked in the restaurant and food service business more than seven years. "I always knew I didn't want to work for anyone," Mandell said. "Now I'll be working for everyone."Vignocchi excels as internship nears its end
Rebecca Gomolka
Correspondent
As summer is nearing its end, Katie Vignocchi is beginning to wrap up her internship with College Works Painting.
Although she'll be heading back to the University of Illinois in a few weeks, where she is double majoring in Urban and Regional Planning and Sociology, this is not the end of her work with College Works Painting.
Vignocchi, a 2009 alum of Coal City High School, began interning with College Works at the beginning of the summer after being recruited at college by past interns of the company. College Works recruited over 7,000 students, but only 200 of those individuals were chosen to work in the Great Lakes Division.
"My current boss interviewed over 500 students," Vignocchi said, "but he only chose 20 for his group." The number of interns is even smaller now, having only nine people under his supervision.
"Some students were fired for not being able to do the job that well, but the interns that I work with now are the most competitive group of people I've ever been around."
It took Vignocchi four different interviews to land the College Works internship, but the process certainly paid off. She is one of three girls in her division among hundreds of men. If that isn't impressive enough, she is one of the top girls for the house painting company. She now oversees interns and gives free estimates to potential customers.
"In the beginning of the summer, I was working 80 hours a week. It's calmed down since then because I now focus more on the production and completion of the houses, getting more into the sales side of the business," she said
Thus far Vignocchi's team has painted the exteriors of 19 different houses, and although she's heading back to the University of Illinois in a matter of weeks, she hopes to bump that number up to 25.
The internship has been an incredible learning experience for Vignocchi. Her communication and time management skills have improved immensely, but Vignocchi finds the most important lesson to be priorities.
"I realized having this job and putting it first was so important. I'm doing what I need to do now to get to where I want to be later in life."
Her hard work with the company has already gotten her a spot with College Works for 2012. "I am going to try and expand the work for the rest of the summer, hoping to have even a few jobs in Champaign," Vignocchi said. "But most of the work is in the summer. I've been asked to remain with the company and move forward."
Vignocchi believes this to be the most life changing experience she has ever had. "I've grown so much as a person. This internship showed me my true potential."
Vignocchi adds that a College Works Painting internship is a great one to be a part of because it "gives students the opportunity to put themselves above the curve. It's hands-on experience rather than just an academic resume builder."
Because of the great work Vignocchi has done, she now has multiple reference letters to help her in her future endeavors. "I will be able to transfer the skills I've learned with College Works for any job I may have in the future."
Vignocchi's ultimate goal is to be in ownership of a large scale company within the next five to 10 years. Whatever career path she chooses, this bright, young girl will excel because of this life-changing summer with College Works Painting.
Students painting a career path this summer
by Tony A. Solano
tsolano@pioneerlocal.com
Summer painting business opens
Freeport, Ill. —
Coty Salazar is using the summer to manage a painting business through College Works Painting student internships. Salazar will be a sophomore in the fall at University of Illinois in Champaign majoring in business administration. He heard about College Works after the company gave a presentation in during one of his classes. After an application and interview process, Salazar was set to begin planning. “It will be something nice to put on my resume – running my own business my freshman year not a lot of kids are doing that,” Salazar said. “It’s a lot of hours putting in the work. I do all the marketing, scheduling and estimates." Currently, he is conducting interviews and plans to hire four to eight people. Salazar said he is licensed, bonded and insured through the College Works program. He is able to do exterior work, which includes fences and staining decks and will use Sherwin-Williams paint products. Next week, he plans to start taking free estimates and begin production. His goal is to book 17 to 25 clients this summer. He will take clients from Freeport and the surrounding area up to Rockford. Salazar has painted houses before including two houses he painted for training. “I’m starting to fill up not quite that far yet,” he said. “I think this has taught me more in the few months that I’ve been doing it than all of my school year,” he said. For more information, or to schedule an estimate call (815) 990-0609.Earn while you learn: 10 best part-time jobs for college students
From DailyFinance With classes starting soon, students start to scout out extra cash for books and food. But how to find the ideal part-time job to help finance your tuition and fun funds? If flipping burgers won't cut it for you, consider one of the following 10 best part-time jobs for students, as named by our unscientific Money College ranking.
9. Home painting. Manage a paint team with College Works Painting. Control your own branch of painters and clients. This means that you get paid a percentage of each job's profit rather than an hourly wage. According to the company's site, a branch manager can make anywhere between $5,000 to $36,000 per year depending on the team's performance. The company even awards bonuses ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 to some above-average workers. See the entire list of 10 best part-time jobs for college students
