The C.A. Lawton Co. Receives Education Grant

July 23, 2012

The C.A. Lawton Co. (Calco), De Pere, Wis., recently was awarded a Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) grant for skills training. The grant will be used for leadership development and team building and include welding and electro-mechanical coursework.

Calco, manufacturer of industrial components, worked with the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to complete the application process and tailor a specific training program. Companies are chosen to partner with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College when applications are approved by the Wisconsin Technical College System grant committee.

The grant will supplement Calco’s investment into a program that will involve casting, maintenance, and administrative staff.

“The attitude, skill, and ability of people is an essential part of our success – far more than most of our capital assets,” said Alex Lawton, president and CEO. “That’s why we’re constantly working to improve the work environment, improve people’s capabilities, and provide advancement opportunities. Training and education across all job types and levels captures a meaningful portion of our investments most years.”

WAT grants focus on improving the occupational skills of employees and are available to the technical college districts, as directed by statute. Colleges typically partner with companies to submit applications. Grants are available for small and large businesses and are designed to upgrade the skills and productivity of employees of established businesses with the objective of supporting regional workforce and economic development efforts. In addition to very specific job-related skills, such as welding, electrical maintenance, and customer relations, training can include a combination of occupational, academic, and employability topics or courses.

“During these times when funds can be scarce it’s always great to have your community and its institutions (government, education, etc.) recognize that you are trying to do good things and thus are valuable to them both now and in the future,” Lawton said.

Calco employs about 150 between two facilities in De Pere. Its integrated business includes patternmaking, casting, and machining capabilities. It provides large iron castings and machining for domestic manufacturers in the HVAC, municipal pump and valve, mining, and power generation industries. Its customer base includes Siemens, General Electric, Metso, and IR/Trane.