From Intern to Full Time: Continuing a Legacy of Technical Achievement

While our Hopewell, Virginia site has been open since the 1920s, for one teammate's family, excellence is entering its second generation.

Caleb Martin, son of BJ Martin, leader of AdvanSix's packaging site, has just signed on to join the company full time as an Instrumentation Mechanic after his May 2027 graduation from New River Community College. While he's been an extended member of the Hopewell team as a team member's son, Caleb has worked hard to earn his place at the company, starting as a maintenance intern working to maintain accuracy and performance in critical tools and technology.

"My dad's worked here my entire life and know a lot of good people who've worked here for years.  I am studying instrumentation at school so I knew there would be opportunities here and it would be a good place to work," shared Caleb.

An Enduring Commitment to Create Pathways for Life

AdvanSix has established partnerships with many schools in the Tri-Cities Area to provide real-world educational opportunities through internships. Through the company's relationship with New River Community College, AdvanSix is supporting robust technical education that connects the manufacturing industry with a committed and talented pipeline of future team members. Students like Caleb can pursue associate degrees in applied science in thriving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and gain hands-on experience at the same time.

"My internship exposed me to different people and personalities on the job.  I learned how to work together to do our job and do it right. I am pretty excited to start making good money and work with people I enjoy spending time with while continuing to learn from them," added Caleb.

Proactively Responding to Industry Trends

While Caleb is AdvanSix's first maintenance intern to become a full-time team member, he will not be the last since the demand for talent in highly skilled trades such as instrumentation, controls automation and other focused maintenance professions is surging. Initiatives like the internship program are important for shaping the next generation of talent, as the Baby Boomer generation starts to retire in large numbers, leaving millions of jobs unfilled. At the same time, Gen Z unemployment rates are twice the national average in part due to a gap between technical skills needed for jobs hiring now, like instrumentation and automation.

In addition to providing practical on-the-job learning opportunities, AdvanSix is helping create opportunities for younger workers by supporting the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) program. This initiative provides financial assistance to students pursuing STEM degrees at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Each year, FOSSI awards up to $40,000 in scholarships and connects students with professional opportunities, including internships, mentoring and leadership development programming. Read more about AdvanSix's involvement with FOSSI here.

Advance Your Early-Career Opportunities

As Caleb starts his final year at New River Community College with a full-time job offer inked upon graduation, he's secure in knowing that his financial future is off to a solid start. But there are many more opportunities to join him at AdvanSix, including many at the Hopewell location. Whether you're an early-career professional looking to launch your technical career or an educator who wants to broaden students' mindset for career growth, visit our Careers page to explore open positions and review qualifications.