Orion's January 2017 eNewsletter
 
 







Kathy Powers (left) presenting Dale (right) with the 2016 Manufacturing Graduate of the Year award.
 
Dale    

Dale had a successful career in police work in Enumclaw and in real estate. He was in good health, but his story changed in 2013 when he had a seizure at a party. From this event, he learned he had a brain tumor that was cancerous. 

Dale had surgery in early 2014, and went through chemotherapy treatment. After completing treatment, Dale had difficulty getting back on his feet. Dale met a person who said, "Orion changed my life." Dale decided to apply for DVR services and enroll in Orion's training program. 

Dale started training in the manufacturing program in October of 2014. He did great in the program and his can-do attitude was evident. Dale worked hard, accepted feedback, and it was clear that he was on a path to achieve his goals. 

In late 2015, Dale successfully located work at Exotic Metals, but soon after he had another seizure while riding his bike. He collided with a car and the accident left him with injuries that prevented him from staying on the job. 

Dale kept his eye on the future while working through physical therapy. After he recovered, he returned to Orion and soon after located a job with Pressco. 

He currently works in Pressco's part mark area and takes pride in his work. Dale is the last stop before work goes out, and he has been able to catch quality issues. He has developed a new system to quality check parts prior to working on them so that he can prevent re-work.

Dale has expressed that he is the "captain of the area" and that he feels pride as he is a trusted team member, and is valued for the work he does. Dale feels that the events he experienced are a blessing in disguise. He appreciates the opportunity to learn new things, and his second lease on life. 

Congratulations Dale!



 

 Cody on Orion's Auburn production floor.
 
Cody  came to Orion through DVR; he was interested in gaining the skills he needed to find employment as a mechanic. Previously, Cody worked in a cafe, and while the steady work was nice, it really reinforced Cody's desire to become a mechanic. Cody first gained experience as a mechanic while working with his father, who is a marine mechanic. Over the years Cody has accumulated a large collection of tools, and he has continued to perform mechanic work on his motorcycle in his spare time.

When Cody started in Orion's Manufacturing Training Program it was his first opportunity to work full time in a production environment.  
Cody said, "I was nervous when I started, and I tried to not screw up any parts. Once I got feedback that I was lining up the parts correctly my confidence began to increase. I feel like I'm growing; I look forward to working in new areas now."

In addition to gaining manufacturing experience in multiple areas, Cody is also benefitting from classroom instruction. Cody received training in measurement tools, and scored a 40/40 on his tape measure test. Cody has also completed Orion's Shop Math Class.

Cody said, "Orion is a great place to learn and get experience while earning a steady paycheck. Orion has shown me the steps that I need to take to learn new skills, and I have started to think about what steps I can take in order to become a mechanic."

Cody is currently interested in finding employment as a mechanic. If you are interested in learning more about Cody or would like to see his resume, call Cathy Wegner at 253-661-7805, or email Cathy at cathy.wegner@orionworks.org.

Orion partnering with United Way's Free Tax Campaign


 
Orion and United Way are partnering once again for United Way's Free Tax Preparation Campaign! Anyone that earned less than $64,000 in 2016 is eligible for this FREE service. Last year, the campaign helped file over 21,000 tax returns, bringing $29.1 million back to the community in tax refunds!

Orion's site will open starting Monday, January 9th and run until Thursday, April 20th.

Orion Industries
1590 A Street NE
Auburn, WA 98002

Site schedule
Mon: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Wed: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sat: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

To locate other sites near you, or if you have questions about eligibility or what documents to bring, visit United Way's website at:

If you are interested in volunteering please visit United Way's website at:  www.uwkc.org/taxvolunteer   


Orion classes available!

Orion contracts with companies around the King and Pierce County area to provide classes, such as blueprint reading. Companies can send their staff to Orion for classes at our facility, or we can send our instructors on-site. If you're interested in finding out more about how this can benefit your staff, please contact Orion's Training Program Manager, Cynthia Kim, at 253-661-7805.

 


Program tours are available!

Orion Industries, Auburn, currently has openings available in all of our training programs:
If you are working with someone who would benefit from this training program, please have them attend our weekly tour - Monday at 9am!
  • Our Office Skills & Customer Service Program offers students exposure to computer training, customer service training and keyboarding / 10-key skills training. It utilizes a self-directed model, in a small classroom setting, with instructor support. Each Friday, interactive group customer service discussions are led by the instructor. Students are offered a daily stipend of $10 for class attendance.
  • Our Contact Center Training Program offers three paid training opportunities: Inbound Customer Service, Front Desk / Reception and Document Conversion training. Participants can come for a variety of reasons including assessment or skills training. While some programs offer cohort enrollment, most positions enroll weekly. Pretesting may be a requirement and will be coordinated during program tour.
  • Contact Center Training Program Flyer 
Orion has multiple open spots for direct job placement support services to individuals not in our training programs. If you are interested in direct job placement services, please contact a Job Developer at 253-661-7805.

2016 Tom Trott Staff Member of the Year 

 Tiffany Essex (left) and John Theisen (right).

Tiffany Essex was selected as the winner of the 2016 Tom Trott Staff Member of the Year Award.  

This award is given to the Staff member who exhibits exemplary dedication to the Orion Mission and Values. This person has a commitment to providing opportunity to individuals that we serve, in achieving the specific goals of their job and use our values of innovation, customer service, accord, respect and excellence in every task they approach. They are "visible" and are inspirational in their example.

A total of 28 staff members were nominated for the award, which speaks to the quality of Orion's staff. 

Congratulations to Tiffany, and to all of those who were nominated!


REDF/Orion Made Video Shoot

 Slate from the REDF/Orion video shoot.
REDF was on site at Orion's Auburn facility shooting a video December 12-14, for their Made video series. The video will highlight the support that Orion provides to the community through our various training programs. We will post a link to the video once it is completed, so be sure to check back!

To view other Made videos, and to learn more about REDF please follow the link:


And the winner of the Golden Scooter is...

 Chris Hedegaard (left) and Victor Molstad (right).
The Orion Riders presented their 2016 Golden Scooter Award to Chris Hedegaard in recognition of his commitment to coordinating the various charitable events that the Riders participate in through the year. 

The award is given out annually to the Rider who best exhibits each of the hallmarks of what makes the Orion Riders outstanding ambassadors to our community. 

Tricia Cleavelin was also nominated for the 6th annual Golden Scooter Award, and both deserve our congratulations and thanks.

Valley Fire Fighters & Auburn Food Bank Toy Drive

 From left to right: Miley Molstad, Liz Hickman, Matt Foster, and Victor Molstad.

Orion Wellness and the Orion Riders collected toys and donations for the 2016 Valley Fire Fighters and Auburn Food Bank Holiday Toy Drive.

To learn more about the Auburn Food Bank and how you can add your support please see the link:  



British American Business Council Christmas Luncheon

 Pictured from left to right: Liz Hickman, Cory McGraw, Elizabeth Brane, Cathy Wegner, Sean Dwyer, Joanna Boatwright, Barb Panush, Tricia Cleavelin, Paul Binford, Raymond Moe, and Cody Isabel.

Orion staff and special guests attended the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the British American Business Council (BABC) Christmas Luncheon on Friday, December 16th. 

The mission of the BABC is: "Fostering commerce, friendship and economic growth between the United States and the United Kingdom."

This annual fundraising event is a fun way to kick off the holiday season celebrations. The BABC offers great networking opportunities for our businesses with the goal of enterprise and mission growth.


Orion links
 
Orion Industries, Auburn
1590 A Street NE
Auburn, WA 98002
Orion Industries, Mukilteo
13008 Beverly Park Rd
Mukilteo, WA 98275