BRYAN, Ohio – Aiden Fenter of Bryan will graduate from Four County Career Center and Bryan High School on May 29. Two days later, Aiden will begin his career at Spangler Candy Company as a full-time Electrician Technician-Entry Level.
To honor this impressive accomplishment, Spangler Candy Company held a special “Signing Day” for Aiden on April 8, when he accepted the full-time position with Spangler.
Aiden, the son of Rick and Gina Fenter of Bryan, participated in Four County’s Job Placement program during his senior year in the Electrical Program, and entered Spangler Candy’s Apprenticeship Program in June of 2021.
During his year with Spangler, Aiden mentored under Barton Brunner, Electrical Technician and a 10-year employee at the company.
Aiden’s father, Rick, has worked for 13 years at Spangler, where he is a Process Mechanic. Aiden’s grandfather, William L. Fenter, worked at Spangler for 43 years, retiring in 2015.
“We are very excited to sign Aiden onto the Spangler Candy Company team,” said Niki Mosier, Spangler’s Vice President for Human Capital.
“Signing Day is a term typically reserved for young athletes who sign on to continue their sports careers in college, but we are very proud to claim this celebration for Aiden, who through hard work and focused learning, has been able to earn his way into a professional career right out of high school.” Mosier added, “Aiden will be earning an income equal to or more than many college graduates.”
“I am very grateful to Spangler Candy Company and Four County Career Center for this opportunity,” said Aiden. “Most people at my age are just starting to decide what they want to do with their lives and how they are going to get there.
It feels great to have those decisions made already and to go to work for a company that has been around for more than a century, and where both my father and my grandfather have worked.”
Spangler began an Apprenticeship Program in 2016 that has been a launching pad for students interested in industrial or engineering technologies, HVAC, and electrical or mechanical engineering.
The program is available to students attending area technical schools such as Northwest State Community College, as well as Four County Career Center.
“Spangler Candy Company is experiencing strong growth at the present time,” Mosier said. “Our current production teams are working hard to keep up with customer demand, and we are anticipating the opening of our new West Campus in Bryan this summer. We are working hard to find people to fill these important positions.”
“We really appreciate the relationships we have with schools like Four County and Northwest State,” Mosier continued, “because these schools provide excellent training and education for the students who then become valuable members of our workforce.”
“Making candy is not easy work, but it is rewarding,” Mosier said. “We make about 12 million Dum-Dums and one and a half million candy canes every day in Bryan, and it feels good because we know we are making people smile all over the world.”