CONTACT: Chris Woodcock
Director, Marketing Communications
SimplexGrinnell
(978) 731-7052
chwoodcock@tycoint.com
SimplexGrinnell and Tyco Safety Products to Host Special Event Marking Completion of the Eighth Year of Women in Technology Program
36 Area Students Address Real-life Business Challenges As Part of School Partnership Program
WESTMINSTER, Mass. (May 10, 2010) –SimplexGrinnell and Tyco Safety Products will host a special event on Thursday, May 13, 2010 to celebrate the completion of the eighth year of a highly successful school partnership program that prepares young women for careers in the fields of engineering, technology and business.
The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School, 1050 Westminster Street, Fitchburg, MA. Susan Huthmaker, Vice President of Operational Excellence for SimplexGrinnell, is this year’s keynote speaker. Invitations have been extended to Tyco employees, local community leaders, college and high school administrators, teachers and facilitators, family and friends.
The Women in Technology program is a collaborative program that aims to develop a seamless connection between business and industry, secondary schools and post-secondary colleges. This year, 36 students participated in the program, from the following schools: Gardner High School, Leominster Center for Technical Education, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, and Narragansett Regional High School.
This program provides an opportunity for SimplexGrinnell and Tyco Safety Products to support the community by preparing young women for real-life work situations and challenges. Dave Baer, Vice President of Marketing at SimplexGrinnell, said of the program, “It is our hope that students walk away from this program with a better idea of their college and career options and a great sense of accomplishment. Our goal is to develop the skills and confidence of our future leaders and possibly our future employees.”
This year’s program was one of the largest since its inception in 2002, with a total of seven project teams including information technology, software development, marketing intelligence, finance, event planning, and video solutions. Baer, a frequent visitor of the Event Planning team, said, “I was impressed to see the level of student participation and engagement in each of the brainstorming sessions and group discussions as the team planned and budgeted for their year-end presentation event. After several visits, the students became accustomed to my unannounced presence and when questioned, were able to justify their reasons for each decision.”
At Thursday’s event, students will present the results of their projects and discuss lessons they have learned. Since September, the Women in Technology students have been working in teams to develop ideas and solutions to real-life business challenges. The program requires that they spend five hours every other week at Tyco’s Westminster office building, working directly with engineers from Tyco Safety Products and information technology, finance, marketing, and marketing communications professionals at SimplexGrinnell. These students put in additional hours on their own, and must stay current with all of their schoolwork. For some students, 2010 marked their third year in the program.
Tyco Safety Products, SimplexGrinnell, the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce, and the North Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board are the business and industry partners in this successful program.
About SimplexGrinnell
SimplexGrinnell, a Tyco International company, provides a comprehensive array of fire alarm, fire sprinkler, fire suppression, integrated security, communications and nurse call systems and services. With one million customers, 150 local offices, and over 200 years of history in the fire business, SimplexGrinnell is the leader in fire and life safety. For additional information or to locate the nearest SimplexGrinnell district office, click here.
About Tyco Safety Products
Tyco Safety Products is a Tyco International Company, Tyco Safety Products’ businesses design, manufacture and sell products across three key platforms: electronic security, life safety and fire suppression. Tyco Safety Products’ diverse product lines comprise access control, video management systems ,intrusion security, electronic fire detection, electronic article surveillance, RFID,breathing apparatuses and chemical and water fire suppression solutions. For additional information, visit www.tyco.com.