BPC Students Visit Trane

Brewton-Parker College (BPC) business professors Lynn Addison and Toni Banks recently took their Business Leadership and Operations Management classes to visit the Trane manufacturing facility in Vidalia. The students received a tour of the plant where Trane air handlers are produced. In addition, students could see the interconnectivity of classroom concepts such as supply chain management, task time, value-added versus non-value-added activities, and human resource development in real-time.

The group was excited to be greeted and led on tour by several BPC alumni. Trane accountant Jordan Robins and master scheduler Erica Harrison, a BPC graduate and former BPC adjunct professor, coordinated the visit. In addition, the group tours were led by alum Trey Cranford, now a continuous improvement leader at Trane; former BPC student Jackie Williams Cook, now a data analyst at Trane; and current BPC student Tyrus Cook, who is an operations intern at Trane.

The students were also surprised to learn that even Ms. Robins had connections with BPC, as her father is former BPC baseball coach Mike Robins, who led the Barons to a national championship in 1997.

Professor Addison noted, “This trip was not only good for our students in allowing them to see classroom concepts enacted in the real world, but it also opened their eyes to the fact that their degree from BPC creates opportunities for personal and professional growth. Brewton- Parker graduates work in our local communities. They do not always go back home or relocate to other cities.” Banks added, “The Toombs-Montgomery area has such a wealth of opportunities available for BPC graduates, and it was great to show our students just one of the many successful businesses in our area. We saw in our fall semester trip to Meridy’s and this semester’s trip to Trane that this community has an international reach. We are excited to not only show our students these opportunities but also to introduce our students to our community partners as well. The college is always looking for internship partners in the local community. One of the things we are most proud of is the fact that all BPC students have an opportunity to complete an internship before graduating. That real-world experience and those networking connections are invaluable for employers and employees alike.”