Three Companies, One Vision: Strong Starts for Future Talent
July 22, 2025
He showed up 15 minutes early. Quiet. Hoodie on. Eyes down.
That’s how one of our newest apprentices entered the Career WayZ - Missouri Strong Start Mentoring Workshop.
Three hours later, he was leading a conversation about communication styles, sharing openly about his fears, and walking out with a clear plan to meet with his mentor—confident, engaged, and ready for what’s next.
What changed? Not the job. The environment.
When you create an intentional space where mentors and apprentices can connect without workplace pressures, it changes everything. Respect is built. Confidence is developed. Communication begins to flow.
That’s the purpose of the Strong Start Mentoring Workshop—a signature Career WayZ experience designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world success. And we were honored to deliver this experience in partnership with three outstanding companies:
Seyer Industries Trinity Products and Quest Specialty Products
At the session:
Bryan Davis, owner of Trinity Products, opened the day with powerful encouragement for mentors and apprentices, underscoring the value of mentorship in building a strong workforce.
Craig Moore, owner of Quest Specialty Products, stayed for the entire session, offering insight and real-time application of the content from an executive’s perspective.
Chance Henke from Seyer Industries had the opportunity to hear directly from his apprentices, who shared how nervous they had been to start, and how his leadership helped them feel seen, supported, and successful.
Quest Specialty Products shared that 20% of their workforce consists of youth apprentices—a testament to their commitment to investing in future talent.
Throughout the training, apprentices engaged in reflective activities to better understand themselves and their colleagues. They met face-to-face with their mentors to begin building trust. And mentors from all three companies expressed strong endorsement of the training’s relevance and impact.
This is not off-the-shelf content. Each Strong Start session is custom-designed to fit the unique culture, challenges, and goals of the employer. It’s a powerful accelerator—not a replacement—for existing onboarding and development efforts.
The training was facilitated by Dan Shows and Lori Shows, corporate trainers and leadership development experts with decades of experience equipping professionals across industries. As founders of Shows Coaching, Lori and Dan specialize in helping individuals lead with emotional intelligence, navigate generational differences, and communicate with clarity and confidence. Their approach is both practical and transformational—guiding mentors and apprentices through structured tools and real-world scenarios that prepare them for success on the job and beyond.
Their presence at the workshop ensured that both apprentices and mentors walked away not only with new skills but with a renewed sense of purpose and connection. If your organization is ready to strengthen retention, accelerate onboarding, and invest in building stronger mentoring relationships—let’s connect.
We’d be honored to design a customized Strong Start Mentoring Workshop for your team.
Schedule a consultation here: https://careerwayz.org/contact
Let’s build a workforce that is not only skilled, but confident, connected, and future-ready.
Follow Career WayZ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/career-wayz-missouri/
Follow Cynthia Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-walker-46b8087a/
