Not a widely known fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s top research laboratory is located in Jefferson County.
That was just one nugget of information Denny Skiles shared with local teachers from all grade levels about the National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson County on Wednesday. The NCTR, he said, tests anything and everything the public consumes — and is always looking for students.
“We have a ton of programs for students, graduates, postgraduates. You want to take a sabbatical? Come do some research,” said Skiles, the NCTR’s associate director of operations.
Skiles joined Jefferson Regional CEO Brian Thomas and Mondi human resources manager Codi Simmons for an hour-long panel session at Connecting Educators to Industry, an annual seminar sponsored by Economics Arkansas and the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Teachers toured Tyson Foods’ facility at Jefferson Parkway and talked with other industry leaders from across Arkansas to learn about job opportunities available for adults of all ages, regardless of education level.
The NCTR, according to Skiles, offers internships that pay anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 while students conduct research in a number of fields. For college graduates, the laboratory also offers programs that will help fund studies toward postgraduate and post-doctorate degrees.
The biggest challenge the NCTR faces, Skiles mentioned, is staffing.
“Candidates get scooped up by big pharma and other private industries,” he explained. “Government services offer benefits like mandatory pay raises and 30 days of paid time off.
Government takes care of employees who stick it out and make a career with us.”
Those who stay with the NCTR tend to experience upward mobility and growth in their careers, Skiles added. He even invited teachers interested in sharing the latest science developments with their students to do research with those whom Skiles calls world-class scientists.
Connecting students to industry is a goal Pamela King, a chemistry and physical science teacher recently hired at White Hall High School, shares with other attendees.
“Doing more hands-on lab activities, doing STEM-career research activities, not doing things that are just typical book learning but going beyond that,” King said, is how she plans to bridge that gap. “Taking some time and asking them about their interests and things that they want to do, things they like to do, that’s how you get a child interested in going to other areas.”
NCTR’s location in the White Hall School District could be a selling point to King’s new students.
“When they go, not necessarily to stay in Arkansas but go outside Arkansas, they can come here for the summer and work at NCTR and make a great stipend and salary, money for them to take back with them to college for those extra expenses,” she stated.
Jefferson Regional, the hospital also known as one of the county’s largest employers, has about 100 positions open that require only three to six months’ training, Thomas said, including phlebotomist, medical assistant and entry-level coder. Those jobs have a starting level of about $30,000 per year.
Maintenance personnel with 12-month certificates can start at about $40,000 or $45,000 per year at the hospital. Radiologists can begin at $50,000, surgical technicians at $55,000 and nurses at $60,000, among jobs requiring two-year degrees.
Across Arkansas, Thomas estimated 350 open nursing positions are available. Building a pipeline between the Natural State and NCTR is a desire Skiles stated, adding NCTR director Tucker Patterson is from nearby Sheridan.
Those who like to experiment with science or play video games are likely to exhibit skills needed for NCTR jobs, Skiles stated.
“If you’re motivated by money, we can probably address that,” he said. “If you’re motivated by, ‘We get to do really cool science,’ … I will send you wherever it is that’s impactful because the U.S. government wants scientists to be successful.”
Video gamers, Simmons said, tend to do the best in jobs at Mondi, a paper manufacturer on Jefferson Parkway. Entry-level jobs that require no education pay $17-$18 per hour to begin, she said, but employees can quickly advance up the ranks.
“Manufacturing tends to not be so glamorous because it can be dark, hot and dirty,” Simmons said. “We hire degreed professionals in engineering, accounting, safety and HR.”
Maintenance personnel can start at $28 per hour and electricians at $34 per hour, Simmons said. Mondi also offers education and tuition assistance, and it sends people to courses and classes for professional development.
Mondi is a union facility and is presently working on three-year contracts with union employees, she added.
A bit of advice she offers for students interested in Mondi is to show up every day and on time.
“If you can do that, there’s a 90% chance you can be successful,” Simmons said, adding Mondi runs around the clock. “The reason we lose employees is that we have a hard time getting them to show up.”
Basic math skills are needed as well, Simmons added.
Showing up is a similar challenge at Jefferson Regional, Thomas stated. He also suggested students gain basic life education skills like check balancing and workplace/interview dress.
Students can learn about advanced jobs even while in elementary school.
“I just try to share different opportunities with my students to inspire them to follow possible careers,” said Elizabeth Wall, a library/media specialist at Pine Bluff School District’s Southwood Elementary. “The students I work with are kindergarten through sixth, so they have a ways to go before they make up their minds, but just to get them to plant that seed and think about what they want to do in the future.”