The Department of Workforce Development is praising Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry in Manitowoc for the work they did with the Fast Forward Grant.
DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek met with WAF CEO, Sachin Shivaram, to tour the facility and a new training center made possible through a Wisconsin Fast Forward grant of nearly $194,000.
The grant is being used to train and hire entry-level employees from diverse backgrounds in sanding and finishing metal castings.
Like many industries in 2021, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry faced worker recruitment and retention challenges, resulting in its on-time delivery rate dropping from 99.6% to 61% and hurting the industry supply chain.
At one point, the turnover rate of new hires in 2021 was at 100% for the company’s finishing department.
Shivaram said that the grant helped them improve their employee’s onboarding experience, and helped them develop “skills they need in a welcoming and safe environment.”
