Calhoun Community College is partnering with the Kohler Co. to launch a three-year community-based workforce program that will provide educational and workforce preparedness opportunities to local students within Calhoun’s service area, while providing exposure to a variety of future career oaths.
According to the Kohler Co., the partnership, which consists of additional organizations across the U.S., will help the company increase its longstanding efforts to support students from elementary school through their transition into the workforce.
“The ultimate goal of this partnership is to reach young people at an early age and begin framing their minds to focus on their natural-born skills, likes, and hobbies that can later translate into a job they can perform in the workforce,” said John Holley, Calhoun dean of Technologies.
The partnership covers high school and college scholarships, college and workforce readiness support, mentorship and internship opportunities, skills training, and financial literacy for people of all backgrounds and financial needs.
The program is expected to impact over 7,000 students across the nation annually.
“Right now, Calhoun’s Machine Tool Technology program is greatly benefiting from this partnership,” Holley continued. “Individuals who hear about machining may think of old shops from years ago, but this trade has come a long way.
“We use the latest technology in our machine shops such as computerized numerical controls (CNC) to handle jobs. There is a strong demand for machinists right now and many companies, such as NASA, Boeing, ULA, Brown Precision, Inc., and TVA, are desperately seeking to fill those positions,” Holley added.
Machine tool technicians can earn a salary ranging from $31,200 to $72,800, which doesn’t include overtime or benefits.
“We imagine a future where everyone has the tools to succeed,” says Laura Kohler, senior vice president of Human Resources, Sustainability and Stewardship for the Kohler Co. “We understand how critical education and training are when it comes to opening up opportunities for young people so that they have choices about where they want to take their future, and we are honored to work alongside community partners to make the biggest impact for these young people.”
Kohler has been supporting education and workplace readiness initiatives throughout the company’s history, more recently including scholarships with college and university partners, funding and implementing high school programming, and supporting initiatives like Outward Bound, Junior Achievement, and INSPIRE Sheboygan.
These new partnerships build upon a longstanding commitment to strengthen communities and improve people’s lives.
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