WLC business students tackle a real-world challenge to help a local manufacturer better recruit and retain employees.
isconsin Lutheran College is committed to providing students with hands-on experiences – from researching coral reefs in Grenada to teaching children in Zambia about hygiene.
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While its products are used in more than 90 countries, Alto-Shaam’s headquarters and manufacturing facility are located in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
By the time students reach their senior year, they have learned academically and matured intellectually, which is why the culmination of their experiences presented through a capstone project is so powerful.
The Alto-Shaam team was impressed with the students’ creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, as well as the respect and professionalism they exhibited during their research and presentations.
Students majoring in one of the business tracks at WLC must complete a capstone prior to graduating. This year, the capstone class was structured differently. “The student groups worked on the same problem for the same company,” said Heather Stelzer, assistant professor of business administration. “Not only does this give the company multiple, unique business proposals, but the students can see how their research and plans differ from each other.” Alto-Shaam is a private, familyowned company that produces top-rated restaurant and commercial kitchen equipment. 12 | Winter 2020
“Producing quality products requires top talent,” said Randy Avrit, director of human resources at Alto-Shaam. “And the competition for talent is high for Wisconsin manufacturers as new manufacturing jobs continue to be created with a shrinking pool of applicants.” The project began with a presentation by the Alto-Shaam human resources leadership team, where WLC business students were given an overview of their challenge: how Alto-Shaam could better recruit and retain employees. In early October, the
three groups of students visited the facility, where they toured the plant and talked with several current employees about their experiences. “When we were approached by WLC, we welcomed the opportunity to get a fresh set of eyes from students who represent our next generation of employees,” said Sarah Wittig, Alto-Shaam’s manager of human resources. On December 10, the student groups presented their business plans to the Alto-Shaam human resources leadership team. Each group offered different solutions, from expediting the training process to modification of the company’s Gain Share program. The Alto-Shaam team was impressed with the students’ creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, as well as the respect and professionalism they exhibited during their research and presentations. “The students were thorough with their research and provided valuable recommendations for attracting, recruiting, and retaining quality employees,” said Avrit. “I can name
