Aaron Wright
Aaron Wright
"I leveraged the Business & Finance Institute on my resume before I had much experience. It helped me get jobs. I told them about the program, and it endorsed me as someone more serious than the average candidate."Aaron Wright, Process Coach at Ford Motor Company
High School Experiences that Paid Dividends
As a participant in PREP-KC's Business and Finance Institute (BFI), Aaron Wright recalls being given a head start on learning about the workplace-readiness skills that gave him a competitive edge after high school.
"BFI taught me soft skills that helped me in the future, simple stuff like how to dress. They took you to State Street and other places where you would network and get to see how different businesses flowed. That was basically teaching me the soft skills of networking and how to talk to people and ask questions and get curious."
Aaron Wright wearing his BFI tassels at his graduation from Ruskin High School in 2017.
Lessons Learned from BFI
Build Your Network Early--and Maintain It! "I wish people would have told me to participate in as much as possible [in high school] because that stuff matters. I've helped friends [from those experiences] get jobs, and they've helped me. Your network is everything."
Social Media Caution! "Watch your social media. What you post when you're young can follow you. People remember, and it can impact you when looking for a job."
Get started early! "The more you position yourself for success at 15 or 16, the more money you're going to earn. Network with your friends and mentors, and participate in as many BFI activities as possible!"
Professional Success at Ford Motor Company
As a process coach, Aaron is in charge of helping ensure Ford creates quality products like the F-150 and Transit Van. He's responsible for the safety and quality among his team, running data models all day and crunching numbers to figure out how to make people work more efficiently in a way that's helpful for them, the company, and the Union.
Aaron's journey from BFI participant to Ford Motor Company process coach demonstrates the long-term value of early business education and professional development through PREP-KC programs.
Inspired by Aaron's Story?
Discover how PREP-KC programs can transform your future, just like they did for Aaron.