The Caldwell Group Inc. welcomed three new employees at its first Stateline Manufacturing Alliance (SMA) Signing Day, held in the Conference Center at Blackhawk Technical College’s Beloit-Janesville campus.
Caldwell is a member of SMA, a group of manufacturing employers focused on increasing exposure to, engagement with, and interest in manufacturing jobs and careers for youth and adults alike. This was the fifth year it had held a ceremonial signing day, similar to those more commonly associated with sport, where the occasion celebrates previously unsigned players committing to teams.
Having walked the red carpet, Emerson Gantz, welder; Drew Shockley, grinder operator/material handler; and Jesus Arrieta, grinder operator, from Hononegah Community High School in Rockton, Illinois, signed full-time employment contracts alongside representatives from Caldwell, in the presence of school officials and family members. They were part of a wider cohort of 33 students representing 11 different employers.
Caldwell continues to recognize that connectivity with the education sector is central to attracting the next generation of welders and other workers in the U.S. Fabrication is fundamental to the production of the company’s Rockford-made line of Caldwell-brand below-the-hook lifters, construction lifters, mill duty lifters, and Renfroe-brand clamps.
Shockley and Arrieta’s roles largely center on the removal of surface defects, scale, and imperfections from steel products (bars, plates, billets, slabs, or coils) using grinding equipment, either large stationary machines or handheld grinders, depending on the piece. They prepare the steel to meet customer specifications before it ships out.
Day-to-day, that typically involves inspecting incoming steel, operating grinding equipment, conditioning the surface, measuring and checking, and changing grinding wheels or belts. It is physical, hands-on work that requires a good eye for detail, since over-grinding wastes material and under-grinding results in the piece being rejected. Many grinder operators move into welding, machining, or quality inspection positions, and the role often serves as a starting point in manufacturing.
Colleen Koerth, manager — workforce development at Blackhawk Technical College, said: “It was an incredible day, celebrating 33 students and their employer sponsors as they enter careers in manufacturing. This was our biggest Signing Day to date; we had a packed house at Blackhawk with more than 250 attendees. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this event such a success. The SMA’s commitment to growing the manufacturing talent pipeline is evident through the momentum and initiatives shaping our future workforce.”
Talent in plain sight
Gantz’s journey into the welding job is particularly noteworthy because Doug Stitt, president and CEO at Caldwell, first heard him speaking about his skills on a radio station. Intrigued, Stitt sought him out in person, even as Gantz himself was searching for an entry point into industry. The story highlights a broader truth about workforce development: talent often exists in plain sight, but identifying and connecting it to opportunity can require proactive, human, and sometimes unconventional approaches.
Amy Garris, who oversees education outreach at Caldwell, said: “We continue to make strides in community outreach to bring on the best talent in the Stateline area. We work with high schools and technical schools to identify great prospects and assist educators. The Caldwell name is much more well-known in the college and high school world this year than it was before we started this; we’ve formed relationships with students, and they know who we are and what we do.”
She added, “Reality is, we can’t do what we do without the very best team in place. Every role matters, and strength across every department is essential to serving customers at the highest level. Skilled trades roles — especially welding positions — remain difficult to fill, with demand for qualified people continuing to outpace supply. However, once prospective employees learn what it is like to work at Caldwell, the opportunity becomes far more compelling.”
- Further to the SMA Signing Day, Caldwell also participated in a recent Junkyard Wars-inspired welding competition at Blackhawk Technical College.
