Mercer County Technical Schools honored Debbie Schaeffer, the owner of Mrs. G’s Appliances in Lawrence, as its 2020 Business Partner of the Year.
The award is given annually to a county vocational technical school business partner for outstanding contributions to career and technical education. Business partners play a variety of roles, including serving on county vocational technical school program advisory boards, offering opportunities for students to gain valuable work experience, donating equipment, or serving as mentors and role models for students.
Schaeffer has hired numerous students from Mercer County Technical Schools, from a wide range of career programs. Students from HVAC, culinary arts, STEM, horticulture/turf care management, and building construction trades have all been employed via cooperative education, and many after graduation.
“Her company’s diverse needs and applications create many unique opportunities for MCTS students to not only get hands-on training in their chosen field, but also begin a prosperous career with upward mobility,” said Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Schneider. “In addition to all of this, she is a member of our general advisory council, informing our teachers and administration about industry trends and employment needs in the community.”