Companies across the state struggle to find skilled workers. One company is partnering with schools to train future employees as early as fifth grade.

Elkhart RV company Thor Industries is going into classrooms to teach teamwork and problem solving skills they say students need to be successful at any job – especially ones in their company.

In Middlebury, Northridge Middle School teacher Amy Hively says their lessons fit perfectly into the Indiana middle school science curriculum.

“They can see the connections we can make between lab and class and the types of skills that people are looking for in the workforce,” Hively says.

Thor Industries’ community engagement director Rick Schutt estimates they’ll work with about 5,000 students in the Elkhart area.