Last week I spent a couple of days in Minnesota with our new specwriter apprentices and members of our sales development program.  I LOVE working with this group as they begin learning about doors and hardware.

Kevin Braaten is the Director, Specification Consultant Development, and when he asked me to come in and do some training on codes, I asked if we could go on a field trip.  I have always made this part of my training with people who are new to the business and may not have developed the habit of looking closely at each door opening they pass through. 🙂

I was really impressed with how much they already knew, only a couple of months into their training.  Back in the Olden Days when I joined the industry, you had to go to the School of Hard Knocks for at least 20-25 years before you could become a specwriter.

It’s exciting to see these programs recruiting people who are early in their careers and giving them a solid understanding of what the door and hardware industry is all about.  This program has been around for at least 15 years, and many of the participants are still with Allegion – some holding leadership positions.

Our field trip took us to a local high school, where we looked at school security, products, as well as code issues.  At first glance, I was wordless about this door opening, especially since the school was in very good shape, codewise:

This pair leads to an enclosed courtyard that is not used by students or teachers.  It is only accessible to maintenance staff when they need to mow the grass or do other work in the courtyard.  It’s hard to say why the doors swing out into the courtyard and have panic hardware…maybe there was a time when the courtyard was not enclosed on all sides and this opening was an exit.  I’m guessing the AHJ has approved the school’s method of securing these doors.

I think the mullion protector is a nice touch…

This fall I will be spending some time with the candidates for the next year’s Specification Writing Apprentice Program and Sales Development Program.  When the application forms “go live” I will share the links here in case anyone would like to apply, but in the meantime I have included some information below about each of the programs.  If you are interested in learning more, you can contact Amanda Hoffman, HR Director, Sales.

Allegion is seeking several candidates for development program openings across the United States and Canada. If you are a driven professional seeking to grow your career in an evolving industry, you may be a good fit for Allegion’s Specification Writing Apprentice Program or Sales Development Program. Both programs kick off in June 2023 at our Allegion training facility in Golden Valley, MN.

Specification Writing Apprentice Program:

We are looking for Specification Writers to join our Allegion team as part of our Specification Writing Apprenticeship Program! As a Specification Writer in the program, you will complete two rotations in the span of 9 months. This immersive program includes in-depth training and development to prepare you for your role of providing access solutions by creating door hardware specifications.

In the first six months of the training program, you will relocate to our training facility in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Here you will participate in classroom style training with others in your cohort. During this segment, you will learn about the industry, our products, and codes as well as how to read blueprints. In the last three months of the training program, you will transfer to your permanent location in your respective regional sales office.  Here you will prepare for your full-time role by writing specifications with the help and supervision of your team so that you are prepared to hit your market ready for success!

Sales Development Program:

The Sales Development Program is a 12-month rotational training and development program designed to enable an individual with no prior selling or security hardware knowledge to succeed in the evolving world of door hardware and security products.  The program will guide you in learning through a varied mix of classroom, field, office, and factory settings to gain knowledge of consultative selling as well as the Allegion products and solutions that will enable you to add value within different sales channels at Allegion. Following the final rotation of the program, you will transition into a full-time sales role within the organization.

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