Success Story

Job seekers often experience the frustration of applying for numerous positions with little luck. Whether they are looking for a temporary assignment, internship, or permanent placement, Leddy Group aims to streamline the process, matching individuals with positions that meet their unique career goals at top employers throughout Northern New England. Ethan Krouskup quickly found a fantastic new role right out of college, with help from Kendra Palmer, Sr. Staffing Manager in Leddy Group’s Engineering division!

In early 2023, Ethan was searching for an internship for the summer between his junior and senior year of college at the University of Connecticut (UConn), where he was studying Chemical Engineering. He applied for a promising opportunity which happened to be listed by Leddy Group. Unfortunately, that specific role had already been filled, but Ethan was told Leddy Group would contact him if another position came up in the future. He recalls, “I didn’t think much of it at the time; I had done lots of applications in that past year and had seen a lot of similar responses.” Ethan landed a different internship during that summer on his own, and then went on to graduate from UConn with his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in May of 2024.

That’s when Kendra reached out to Ethan with a potential new role. “Out of the blue, she called me and said she may have an opportunity that would be good experience,” he recalls. Kendra shared details of a short-term R&D Lab Technician I opening at Alkegen, a global manufacturer of high-performance specialty materials that save energy, reduce pollution, and improve fire safety. “Ethan was interested, upbeat, and motivated when I called him,” says Kendra. “I noticed Ethan was also genuinely friendly. When interviewing him, it was clear that he was enthusiastic about his internship, educational experience, and as a TA, mentoring other students. Ethan was not only skilled at, but passionate about his field and his community.” Ethan enjoyed working in the labs at school, and also had some manufacturing environment experience from his internship, so he was comfortable working with large pieces of equipment, wearing PPE, and following important safety procedures. With his skills, education, and positive mindset, Ethan was a strong contender for the position.

Ethan had never worked with a staffing agency before, but partnering with Kendra made the whole process a breeze. “Kendra was amazing. She kept me up-to-date with the application and hiring process,” he says. Ethan completed his interviews successfully and was quickly offered the opportunity. In fact, the entire process from Kendra’s contact to Ethan’s first day on the job lasted less than three weeks. “It felt like this opportunity just fell into my lap,” says Ethan.

As an R&D Lab Technician I, Ethan performs physical tests for the company’s development team. He loves the diversity of tasks and the experience he is gaining in laboratory formulation and measurement techniques, data handling and analysis, and production-scale trial support. “My favorite part of my job is that I get to work with my hands, rather than sit at a computer all day. I always learned better that way,” says Ethan. He describes his fellow employees as nice and genuine, and shares, “My mentors and bosses have been nothing but great, continuously teaching and helping me to learn everything I can while I am working here.” Recently, Ethan has begun managing the production trials for one of Alkegen’s types of filters. “My bosses have slowly given me more and more responsibility, which feels good because it sort of validates all the work that I have put in here.”

Kendra has received very positive feedback from Alkegen about Ethan’s performance. “He continues to have a great attitude and is passionate and goes above and beyond. If he needs to learn something new to complete a project, there is no question that he will learn the new information and complete the projects,” Kendra shares. “Ethan completes his projects in a timely manner, even ahead of deadlines! He does all he can so that his team and company can succeed.” Ethan’s grateful that Kendra continues to check in with him as well. “Kendra, and others at Leddy Group, have been nothing but great,” he says. “They have been super accommodating and helpful if I ever have any questions or concerns.”

Thanks to Leddy Group, Ethan’s off to a great start in his career. “I like this line of work, the research and development portion, so this job allows me to get great experience. I also get some more manufacturing, lab, and development experience,” he says. “Not too shabby for a first job out of college.”

Leddy Group’s team has the knowledge and resources to assist you in meeting your employment needs. Leddy Group’s staffing divisions include these specialties: Accounting & Finance, Administrative & Customer Service, Engineering, Human Resources, Industrial & Skilled Manufacturing. Reach out to our team at 877-202-7005.