News & Events Archive

KCTV Kansas City interviews college works employees

The following is a link to the live interview done in Kansas City, Missouri with two College Works District Managers Bob Schliesman and Scott McAvoy.

http://www.kctv5.com/video/23969319/index.html

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.

Downers Grove woman takes first step toward career goal

By Janice Hoppe, jhoppe@mysuburbanlife.com
Downers Grove Reporter
Posted Mar 15, 2010 @ 09:00 AM
Last update Mar 15, 2010 @ 11:16 AM
Downers Grove, IL —

Opening her own bakery is a lifelong goal for Katherine Durkin — and after an internship set for this summer, she could be closer to her goal.

The Downers Grove resident heard about the College Works Painting internship while in class and decided to apply because she wants experience running her own company.

“I want to run my own bakery. I thought this was amazing opportunity,” Durkin said.

Every weekend, Durkin is out in Downers Grove passing out flyers to market her business. She has already begun doing estimates for homeowners interested in exterior painting, staining and trim.

“Once school lets out for the summer this internship will turn full-time, and I will be hiring painters, painting homes, organizing payroll and managing customer relations,” Durkin said.

Her goal for the painting business is to make more than $80,000.

“I want to nit and grit through it, pushing myself every day,” Durkin said.

As for returning next summer, Durkin is unsure depending on what is offered to her between now and then. The experience she takes from this she hopes to apply to her life goals.

College Works awards the year's managers in Cancun, Mexico

CWP closes out 2009 with State and Divisional Awards in Cancun, Mexico and embarks on the biggest year ever in 2010!

National Manager of the Year - Tom Heiler (Pennsylvania)
District Manager of the Year - Mark Blumenthal (Illinois) & Josh Jacobs (California PCC)

Congratulations to all the Divisional Managers of the Year!

Arizona - Joe Powless
California Central - David Taylor
California North - Taylor Smith & Kelly Jewett
California South - Jeffrey Mihaljevich & Eric Roberts
California Pacific Coast - Megan Juskalian
Colorado - Matt Griffith
Illinois - Kyle Lindsey
Michigan - Mike Romigh
Missouri - Joel McPeak
New England - Dylan Petitt
New Jersey - Brian Nardi
Ohio - Ben Kern
Oregon - Emmie Yeiter
Pennsylvania - Tom Heiler
Texas - Nathan Moore
Utah/Nevada - Emily Job & Jake Kinghorn
Virginia - Kyle Emory
Washington - Matt Beeninga

Congrats to all!

U. of I. student starts own summer painting enterprise

The weather's been warm, which means painting season is well under way. Park Ridge resident Matt Schipp, 19, is running his own painting business for the summer through the CollegeWorks Painting internship. "We don't work with a large number of clients. Our goal is not to get the biggest or the most money," said Schipp, who began promoting his business during spring break. "I'm really just concerned about running my own business with integrity, and this is my first business and it's the experience that matters." Schipp attends the University of Illinois majoring in aerospace engineering. "I manage my own marketing team to promote the business and also a production team," Schipp said. "So I have a painting crew that I manage and make sure they do quality work." He and his crew paint the exterior of homes and also are available to stain decks or fences. Most of Schipp's clients live in Park Ridge. "It's really great to be working in my hometown," he said. "I really like meeting clients in the area and just talking with them and having a good time." The internship interviewing process began in October 2008. "I took on this internship because I really wanted to boost my resume and stand out amongst my peers," Schipp said. "I knew it was going to be difficult to find a job so I went after any opportunity I had, and I am fortunate enough to be where I am today. "I went through a lot of intense management and paint training and I'm really excited to put my skills to use." CollegeWorks Painting is a nationwide internship that is offered in 16 states. "The whole intern program gives them real-world skills and opportunities," said Danielle Allison, CollegeWorks Painting resolutions and customer service department representative. "We teach them basically the whole basis on how to run their own company. They go through a lot of training. We set them up. They hire their own painting crews. "Some do go ahead and decide to participate in the painting, as well and be part of their own painting crew. Some decide to hire on painting crews that have eight to 10 years' experience. So they do all their own marketing." To contact Schipp call (847) 849-9703.