For Students - Takacs Co-op of the Year Award

Takacs Co-op of the Year Award goes to Schneider

Plans career in Kentucky , hopes to apply Toyota principles

Augustine (Gus) Schneider's can-do attitude and lengthy list of accomplishments him the 2006 Takacs Co-op Student of the Year Award. The $1,000 award recognizes academic excellence, leadership and service. Schneider was honored during the College of Engineering awards banquet April 11.

Gus has been an alternating semester co-op student with Toyota Kentucky for two years. He received degrees in both mechanical and electrical engineering in December 2006.

At Toyota , he strengthened his manufacturing skills through application of the Toyota Production System in Quality Circles, Early Symptom Investigation Teams, Engineering Change Initiatives, and Diversity Training. He also garnered attention for his energetic approach as he led a Powertrain plant-wide initiative using technology to track and record problems on over 500 machines.

"Gus' involvement with the production workers impressed me very much while he was supporting the V6 Assembly line,"said Jeremy Yost, his supervisor. "One of Toyota 's founding principles is its 'Respect for People.' Gus understands the value of the input the production worker can provide. All too often, a co-op enters our facility with the inability to relate and communicate to the diverse work environment that we are so proud of. Gus has this ability and it has been a key to his success during his work experience. The cooperative education experience encourages a "whole"student (business AND academics). Gus has demonstrated his ability to find engineering answers AND collaborate with people; allowing him to become a "whole"engineer."

Gus appeared in in-house Toyota videos supporting and promoting the company-wide use of the alternating semester co-op program.

He has also earned credentials in the highly regarded field of lean manufacturing. He is a certificate holder from the initiate class of UK 's elite Lean Manufacturing Boot Camp Program.

Gus carries a 3.8 GPA, is in the UK Honors Program, was the Pi Tau Sigma Sophomore Engineering Student of the Year Award winner, and has received several university-based scholarships. He is known in the College of Engineering for his courtesy and down-to-earth personality.

Both of Gus' grandfathers were engineers, and he has always wanted to practice engineering. His long-term goals include pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering and continuing to work closely with industry in Kentucky . After significant work experience, Gus would like to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree "in order to see the good practices he has learned at Toyota employed in other organizations through the management systems."