Stotz Days

Connecting Students with Industry Partners

At a time where almost every industry is faced with unparalleled worker shortages, Idaho State University College of Technology students are increasingly being sought after. In the Diesel/On-Site Power Generation Technology Program, most graduates can have their pick of jobs and many even have those jobs lined up before they complete the program. So how can employers stand out and attract new employees during the current labor market trends? One local industry partner may have found a solution. Stotz Days is a project years in the making and hopefully will be a blueprint for many successful events to come. It all started with a conversation between Chris Guthrie, Director of STEM and Industry Relations at the ISU College of Technology, and Levi May, who is currently the Regional Manager for Stotz Equipment in Southeast Idaho. The topic — what are the mutual needs of the College of Technology’s Diesel/On-Site Power Generation Technology and the Stotz Equipment company? The answer resulted in Stotz Days, a collaborative event between the two parties. “We really liked the knowledge and skills that the ISU graduates had,” said May. “The majority of the techs we were hiring came from the diesel tech program or the on-site power program but we still needed more. So, the question we had to answer was also going to be the solution to our problem: how do we get in front of students before they graduate so we can recruit them and what can we do with or for ISU to make this work?” Stotz Equipment was looking for prospective employees with a more focused education as it relates to the equipment that they manage. At the same time, the College of Technology was looking for industry support in the form of knowledge and access to technol-

Representatives from Stotz Equipment show students some of the latest technology on a new John Deere tractor.

ogy for the students. The Stotz Days event perfectly encompassed these needs and exceeded all expectations. On March 4, 2022, ISU students were given access to industry professionals as well as several high-end tractors and specifically one tractor enabled with John Deere GPS Guidance. The professionals lightly sabotaged these tractors and used it as an exercise for the students to apply their knowledge to common problems found in this type of technology. Faculty were allowed to watch and learn alongside the students as they troubleshot the problems presented to them. “My favorite part of the event was the opportunity for the students to work on the tractors with our field technicians,” said Stettsen Beard, the current Stotz Equipment Store Manager for the American Falls branch. “They got to experience real problems that our technicians see frequently without the stress of time constraints or expectations.” Students were also given the opportunity to ride in, drive and test the automation controls in the tractors. All the while, students could ask questions and learn from the professionals who could potentially become their coworkers. Stotz Equipment provided lunch for everyone involved and presented various employment opportunities that were available to the students — two of whom were hired by the American Falls Stotz Equipment branch shortly after the event. This is an example of how this opportunity went both ways. Students gained access to invaluable information about potential career options while Stotz Equipment was able to start building a pipeline for students to come work for them. “My mantra to industry partners is ‘Our students will not choose you if they do not know you’,” said Guthrie. “Building a relationship with potential employees is just as important for the industry as networking is for the students. Otherwise, the industry has very little control over what options will be presented to them.” When the event was over, the technicians involved had to agree that she was right. It had been a meaningful and invaluable experience for everyone involved. It is Guthrie’s hope that the College of Technology will host many more Stotz Days as well as similar industry partnerships for every College of Technology program.

Diesel students inspect the new technology on a John Deere tractor.

Industry partners who would like to pursue similar opportunities can contact Guthrie at chrisguthrie@isu.edu.