Caldwell Welcomes Three Hires at Signing Day
Three new employees were welcomed to Caldwell Group at its Stateline Manufacturing Alliance (SMA) Signing Day, held at Blackhawk Technical College’s Beloit-Janesville campus.
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| Amy Garris, who oversees education outreach; and Michael Stitt (far left), configurator engineer at Caldwell, welcome the signees. |
Caldwell is a member of SMA, a group of manufacturing employers that are focused on creating greater exposure, engagement and interest in manufacturing jobs and careers for youth and adults alike.
This was the fifth year it held a ceremonial signing day, similar to those more commonly associated with sports, where the occasion celebrates previously unsigned players committing to teams.
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.
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, so it meets customer specifications before it ships out.
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 and sought him out in person.
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.
The trio were part of a wider cohort of 33 students representing 11 different employers.
“It was an incredible day, celebrating 33 students and their employer sponsors as they enter careers in manufacturing,” said Colleen Koerth, manager workforce development at Blackhawk Technical College. “This was our biggest Signing Day to date; we had a packed house at Blackhawk with more than 250 attendees. The SMA’s commitment to growing the manufacturing talent pipeline is evident through the momentum and initiatives shaping our future workforce.”
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 production of the company’s Rockford-made line of Caldwell-brand below-the-hook lifters, construction lifters, mill duty lifters, and Renfroe-brand clamps.
“We continue to make strides in community outreach to bring on the best talent in the stateline area,” said Amy Garris, who oversees education outreach at Caldwell. “We work with high schools and technical schools to identify great prospects and assist educators.”
She noted that the Caldwell name is much more well known in the college and high school world this year than it was in the past.
“We’ve formed relationships with students, and they know who we are and what we do,” Garris said. “The reality is, we can't do what we do without the very best team in place.”
She added that 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,” Garris said. “However, once prospective employees learn what it is like to work at Caldwell, the opportunity becomes far more compelling.”
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