Southwire is a privately held wire and cable manufacturer headquartered in Georgia whose commitment to improving the communities in which it operates has put it on the leading edge of education initiatives for decades. With high school dropout rates approaching 30 percent around Southwire’s western Georgia facilities, the company partnered with Carroll County Schools to examine how they could help. In 2007, they launched 12 for Life – a program that lets students combine their studies with practical real-world experience at a customized Southwire manufacturing facility. Through contextualized work-based learning, a robust support system, and a paycheck, Southwire’s 12 for Life program gives at-risk students a pathway to success by completing 12 years of school while meeting Southwire’s high production standards and filling the company’s talent needs.
