College Works Painting Alumni
Share Their Stories

We've also gone through the toughest economies in the last few years. I worked very hard and think that's one of the most beneficial things I learned the last few years. Just with perseverance, work ethic and knowing what its going to take to be succesful.

-Preston Griffith

-Kansas State Sophomore 2011

-Business Management Major

-$60k revenue per year

I think I am farther ahead of as far as the level of maturity because I did something difficult and I challenged myself with a difficult internship. Now I can tell someone in a interview in a job I want what I can do for them. I ran a business. I changed people's live and I was successful with it here's what I can do.

-R.T. Custer

-Penn State Freshman 2011

-Industrial Engineering Major

-$130k revenue per year

College Works Painting is without a doubt the most rewarding and beneficial job I have ever had. I have since graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Business Management, interviewed for scholarships and jobs, and gotten more offers than I could have ever imagined.

College Works Painting gives you the chance to make great money, lasting memories, amazing friends, and have an unforgettable experience. It also gives you something that you can't find other places: options.

At a time when people are struggling to find jobs and getting rejection after rejection, I was offered job after job.

—Danielle Gerst

I worked for College Works Painting, PA, for almost two years before starting with Deloitte Consulting, part of the largest professional services firm on the planet. I have traveled all over the country over the last two years, and currently fly from Montreal to Chicago every week for international software implementation, leveraging skills that no other program could have taught me as a college student. Belonging to a firm that only hires the top 5% of talent in the country, I owe being at the forefront of my class completely to College Works Painting.

—Max Lawrence

As a manager for three years at College Works Painting, I gained skills that are essential in my everyday activities at work as a quality engineer at Tognum America, Inc. Thank you, College Works Painting, for giving me skills to get my awesome job where I enjoy what I do and make a decent pay check as a bonus.

—Eric Wickenheiser

In 2010, I was a branch manager for the Michigan Division of College Works Painting. Beforehand, I had virtually no experience in the professional business world.

The College Works Painting internship program taught me how to talk with clients, recruit, hire and train employees, manage dynamic relationships, and overcome challenges that seemed too overwhelming to deal with. It also helped me realize how to prioritize my actions. In fact, that summer I learned more about myself and what I am capable of than at any other time in my life.

After successfully completing the internship, I eagerly moved to the next stage in my career: getting an internship with a Fortune 100 company. I chose to intern with Honeywell Aerospace, located in Phoenix. Within the first two weeks I was already seeing parallels between running my little painting business and planning for a $40 billion dollar company. At the end of my internship I was offered a generous full-time offer, and accepted without hesitation.

I can honestly say that without my internship with College Works Painting, I would have never landed my dream job with Honeywell Aerospace.

—James Schwandt

I recently finished a summer internship with Nationwide Insurance. They have recently offered to keep me in a part-time role while I finish up my last year of school at Kansas State University. I have accepted their offer; and I think there is a good chance of getting a full-time offer with them after graduation.

I just wanted to thank College Works Painting again for the experience I was able to have with the company. Without it, I know I wouldn't have been able to develop the network and skills that made it possible for me to get this job with Nationwide.

—Matt Burdiek

My expectations from this job was hard work from a dynamic company. It is what I expected and it's what I got. The Committment that I was asked to make was different than I thought it was. I thought it was a lot of hours and it was. However, it's a commitment to getting the job done [and] to learning to try new things. So it is not just a commitment for your time but to try things out of your comfort zone.

A commitment to ensure you work through issues.

A commitment to following a program that is something you have never done before and that is a commitment that is necessary to make this a success. It's tough but rewarding. As the old saying goes, nothing worthwhile comes easy.

—Guy Metcalf