ff the top of your head, think about your ideal workplace. How is the office setup? What mix of personalities do your co-workers encompass? Is your upper management respectable and genuinely interested in your wellbeing? Is it a large or small company? What responsibilities do you carry? What does your future look like?
Now, picture this – it’s a Monday morning on a cold winter day. You shudder at the thought of getting out of your cozy bed, at first, but then you remember what day it is and how you get to see your favorite co-worker today. Today is the day where you start on an exciting new project that helps you fine-tune your skills as a professional to work towards your next promotion.
Freshly motivated, you happily get out of bed, get ready and make your way to work. You smile as you step into the office and greet your co-workers to the start of a new week, knowing that you’ll be in a truly collaborative place where you will be challenged to grow and make a difference. You’ll feel confident taking on new challenges and be encouraged to take risks that will enable your professional growth but feel secure knowing that the team will support you.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, for Stephen Bartone at Industrial Resources, it’s his reality.
Discover more about what it’s like to work for Industrial and Stephen’s story below.
FINDING THE RIGHT CANDIDATES
Stephen Bartone is an Athens, Ohio native who moved to North Central West Virginia to join our team that has been successful for over 73 years. Bartone earned a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Ohio University and is currently a Mechanical Designer. He was a great hire and we’re excited to have the opportunity to foster his professional growth, help him reach his full potential and attain his goals.
It’s not always so simple and easy to find qualified candidates, though. Many people aren’t aware of the benefits and outstanding community culture we provide. While Industrial has a mid-size team filled with talented, irreplaceable staff, we do need to hire younger qualified candidates to continue the upward progress of our legacy to clients throughout the United States.
“Now, if we do our job right, we’re bringing on younger people like Stephen Bartone,” said Doug Amos, Vice President of Victory of West Virginia, the parent company of Industrial Resources, WV Electric and Mountaineer Resources.
Amos continued, “You look around the organization, one of our greatest strengths is we have a high percentage of senior staff who have decades of experience. Given our recent and projected growth, the downside of that is we need some new blood. We have great opportunities for entry to senior level positions to support the needs of our growing business.”
So, what makes Industrial Resources such an attractive and well-rounded opportunistic workplace for professionals of all ages? Let’s find out.
10 REASONS YOU SHOULD WORK FOR INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES
Stephen Bartone gains more than mere valuable professional experience with his time at Industrial. Discover how we stand out as a company in West Virginia:
1. We Invest In Our Employees
Bartone primarily conducts detailing, manufacturing drawings and design work for the engineering team. His drawings are then sent to the in-house manufacturing shop.
Bartone said, “Seems like right off the bat, they were willing to invest in me. They do want to raise me up as an engineer quickly. A big reason I wanted to work for Industrial is because of their commitment to pouring into their employees with technology that’s going to be needed.”
At Industrial, our existing workforce showcases precisely the quality we intend to keep and take care of – from people who started as a college intern, general laborer to upper management and so on.
“Twenty to 30 years later, they’re still here and/or retiring from here. The longevity that we have to offer is very important,” said Amos.
“If we don’t invest in our staff, then someone else will. These days, especially with professionals, everyone wants to grow. Maybe at different rates, maybe in different ways. Everybody wants to feel like they are growing in some way, shape or form. We have a fair amount of upcoming retirements that are going to create key opportunities for folks,” said Amos.
2. Opportunity For Growth
Industrial can provide many opportunities and multiply those opportunities for our employees. We’ve been a coal-centric organization for seven decades and continue to do very well. The professional development and growth we can offer to all employees are unmatched.
“There is nothing that would keep him [Stephen Bartone] from retiring from this company. He can go from a mechanical designer to a mechanical engineer to a professional engineer to engineering manager. You may interview him one day as the CEO of this company. And I think that would be very appealing to a young professional,” said Amos.
3. We Offer Up-To-Date Technology
The engineering department is making a transition from working with 2D to 3D engineering drawings. We pay for the licensing on the software, but it’s great for our employees. We provide training in the latest software to remain ahead of the game in our industry.
“It’s good for the customers too because they’re getting very clear engineering drawings of the products that we’re giving them,” said Bartone.
The technology we provide for our engineers encourages more proactivity.
Bartone continued, “Our models and drawings can be more clear and concise, so it helps us collaborate on big projects that would take a long time otherwise. In the long run, it’s going to save us a lot of time and money by delivering these big projects with quick deadlines.”
4. Training & Certifications
We take pride in developing state-of-the-art bulk material handling systems and coal preparation plants for our customers. For the utmost quality performance with our projects, our employees need to be prepared in all facets to exceed client expectations.
“They’re also invested in me, personally, through certifications and training that are going to be job-specific. But also training and continued education that’s going to make me more valuable as an engineer here,” Bartone continued, “They’ve put me through (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) OSHA training. We need to visit coal mines. They want me to train under several engineers to become a professional engineer and to be certified with the state.”
5. We Value Safety
At Industrial, our number one priority is safety. We ensure every employee has a safe working environment. This is why we provide our employees with the opportunity to pursue OSHA training and other endeavors to maintain all personnel are prepared to visit your worksite at any time.
“Everybody says safety first, but when you look at our safety numbers, you can see how invested the company is in the well-being of our team. Again, the work we do is difficult and we have to take extra safety precautions when working high off the ground. We often work around coal mines and stone quarries, so we have to prepare our people to be aware of the hazards associated with the mining industry so that they can work safely at all times. We have an incredible safety record,” said Amos.
6. We Are Family
In any of our offices, you will find that people know what’s going on in each other’s lives. We care, and so do the employees we hire into the Industrial family. It is our job to make sure you feel right at home and that we foster a workplace where our staff can perform their career to the best of their ability.
“During the interview process at Industrial, I really got the sense that they are like a family here. I heard that over the phone and in the first interview, but once I got to meet them and meet the leadership, it was definitely true. It really is like a family here. We’re a really tight-knit group, said Bartone.
Our leadership team wants to see the work you produce, from all employees. With larger corporations, frequently, the numerous amounts of work can become lost and unseen. With our team, we genuinely want to see what you put your time into and make sure you know you are valued and as an asset to this team.
“The best part of my job that makes me want to come here – day-in, day-out – are the people that I work for. They’re so kind and they really do put the people first. It makes you feel like you’re wanted here and you’re valued. The work here that we’re doing is important,” said Bartone
When Stephen first started, the CEO and executive staff routinely checked on him, making sure he was doing well and asking if he needed anything.
“The leadership realizes that a great company means great people. It is made up of great people. That is definitely the case here,” said Bartone.
“It just shows they want people here for a long time, and there have been people here for a long time. The way that the staff was checking in on me and making sure I was doing well, it made me feel like they wanted me to be here for a long time. That they’re investing in me, and I’m not an employee who’s just going to deliver a quick something for them then I’ll be out of here. They really want people here to work for a long time,” said Bartone
8. Healthy Work/Life Balance
Work/life balance is critical in the professional world – especially these days where we’re all always plugged in and connected. Sometimes, it can be hard to turn your workday “off.” We value you and your time here and prioritize your work life and personal life.
“What we have here is work-life balance. We are owned by an individual, not a corporation. And Mr. Stanley sets the pace, the standards, the expectations in a manner that enables true work-life balance,” said Amos
9. Three Office Locations
We do have an office in Carnegie, PA, which is primarily an engineering office. We have about 15 engineers in that office. We also have an Electrical Division office in Pleasant Valley, WV, right near the Corporate Office in Fairmont, WV. These days you can mostly work from anywhere – like Stephen, he can work from either office or while on the road.
North Central West Virginia (NCWV) is a great place to live for many people. For those who don’t want to be in a metropolitan area, you can develop a quality life in this area and still be an hour and a half from Pittsburgh.
10. Job Security
Industrial also provides an exceptional level of job security for our employees, especially compared to others in this industry. Our layoff rate is phenomenally low.
EMPLOYMENT | INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES
“They are willing to invest in their employees and they truly do go out of their way to make sure their employees are cared for. It creates this place where you want to work, you show up to work every day,” said Bartone.
Visit us at Industrial Resources; you can only get so much from the website and phone calls. Together, let’s figure out how our needs fit with your strengths and create tangible, helpful results for our clients.