By Tracey Mendrek, Executive Vice President
Today marks an important milestone for our client, Navistar, with the donation of three vehicles to help prepare Olive-Harvey College students for the 110,000 jobs in transportation, distribution and logistics coming to the Chicago region.
Jim Spangler, Navistar Vice President – Corporate Affairs handed over the keys to Angelia Millender, President of Olive-Harvey College at an event this morning attended by students, administrators and instructors. As part of Navistar’s commitment to the College to Careers initiative these vehicles will allow students to develop hands-on experience needed to pursue high-demand career opportunities in the transportation industry.
In October 2013, Olive-Harvey College broke ground on a nearly $45 million TDL Center slated to open in 2015. Millender said Navistar is “providing us with powerful insight into the skills our students will need to be successful in the field and helping us to identify the tools and equipment that will ensure our students are ready to hit the ground running on the first day of work.”
You hear a lot of business executives, elected officials and candidates for office talk in abstract terms about creating a public-private partnership. Today, Navistar shows what that looks like when the rubber meets the road.