Crafting a Technical Masterpiece: The Partnership Between AMACO and Per Scholas

At American Art Clay Co. (AMACO), the mission is to provide high-quality materials that help artists bring their visions to life. But recently, a different kind of “shaping” has been taking place within their IT department. Through a strategic partnership with Per Scholas, AMACO has discovered a new standard for technical excellence, customer service, and community reinvestment.

When IT Director Marty Dickerson took over the department, he faced a significant challenge. The IT team’s internal reputation was struggling. The goal was to transform the support desk into a high-level service department that empowered the rest of the company.

Marty, an active member and mentor within the Society for Information Management (SIM), a national network for IT leaders, found a natural ally in Per Scholas. Through his connection with Theron Wilson, Managing Director of Per Scholas Indianapolis and fellow SIM colleague, Marty realized that the solution to his talent gap lay in a program that emphasizes both technical grit and professional polish.

Enter Karl Kuehn, a Per Scholas graduate who arrived at AMACO with a “fire” that immediately caught leadership’s attention. Even during a rigorous interview process, Karl stood out for his technical knowledge and his exceptional communication skills.

“I have specific things I look for in potential employees and resumes,” says Ted Shockey, Senior IT Technician and Karl’s direct mentor. “Karl hit most of those for me. I can teach anybody how to fix something; I can teach you the steps. But I can’t teach you the soft skills, how to deal with people. At a point, you either know how to do it or you don’t. Karl was given the tools to show he can, and he does.”

Starting as a Junior Technician, Karl had an immediate impact. He has since been promoted to IT Technician, demonstrating that the Per Scholas blueprint produces professionals ready for rapid career progression.

The hallmark of Karl’s tenure at AMACO was a project that neither Marty nor Ted saw coming. Assigned to overhaul a production-side application, Karl went beyond fixing the existing bugs and reimagined the tool from the ground up.

“He took that project and knocked it out of the park at a level neither of us foresaw,” Marty recalls. “When he went through an alpha test with us, it was amazing. It was a level beyond. It made things easier for our production personnel, and they’ve already forgotten all they had to go through with the previous application.”

For AMACO, the impact was clear: Karl wasn’t just maintaining their systems; he was innovating on their behalf. For this Per Scholas alumnus, the impact was a life-changing career path where his work is valued at the highest levels of the company.

What makes the AMACO and Per Scholas partnership unique is its “full circle” nature. The impact goes both ways:

1. Talent for AMACO: The company gained a high-performing, culture-fit Per Scholas technician who required minimal onboarding. “If you could get me another person even close to Karl’s skill levels… I’d take all I could,” Ted says.
2. Hardware for Per Scholas: AMACO recognizes that for learners to succeed, they need physical equipment to practice on. Marty has facilitated the donation of “aged-out” laptops to Per Scholas labs. “It’s great that we have hardware we can contribute to support that effort,” Marty explains. “It’s a small way to sow back into the organization and say thanks.”
3. Mentorship for the Community: Through the SIM connection and professional development projects, AMACO leadership stays engaged with the Per Scholas mission, ensuring the curriculum remains aligned with real-world employer needs.

As AMACO looks toward the future, including upcoming retirements and departmental shifts, they aren’t worried about where their next great hire will come from. They already know the way to Per Scholas.

“The confidence Per Scholas built into him is a huge factor in his success here,” Marty says. 

By blending the “how” of technology with the “how to deliver,” Per Scholas has provided AMACO with more than an employee. They’ve partnered with talent dedicated to the same artistry and care that go into every piece of clay they produce.