Grafton, Wis. (Aug. 1, 2012) — John Crane has been chosen by Moraine Park Technical College as a business partner for their initiative to place entry-level skilled machinists into high-demand Wisconsin manufacturing jobs. The program will be funded through a grant of $705,647 awarded by the Wisconsin Covenant Foundation Inc., a private nonprofit organization. The initiative will provide dislocated workers with the technical training needed to move directly into high-demand jobs at local manufacturing companies.
John Crane will be represented on the program’s steering committee and help design the training program and curricula based on specific skills needed for today’s manufacturing workforce. John Crane will also support the program by offering paid internships to the students.
As John Crane-Orion Vice President and General Manager Dave Bretsch explains, “The manufacturing industry is faced with a critical shortage of skilled machinists during a time of high unemployment in the United States. By building the right training programs for high-demand positions in our industry, we can help to support the placement of men and women into family-sustaining manufacturing careers.“
About John Crane
John Crane is a global leader in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals, couplings, hydro-dynamic bearings, seal support systems and filtration systems. The company serves a variety of markets, including the oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, and mining industries. John Crane employs more than 6,800 people and has operations in more than 50 countries. 2011 revenues were approximately $1.4 billion. John Crane is the largest division of Smiths Group, a global technology business listed on the London Stock Exchange (SMIN).
About Moraine Park Technical College
Moraine Park Technical College was established in 1912 and is one of 16 technical college districts that make up the Wisconsin Technical College System. With campuses in Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac and West Bend, Moraine Park offers more than 100 Associate of Applied Science degrees, technical diplomas, apprenticeships and certificates delivered in a variety of formats — classroom, online and blended. Training and technical assistance for businesses is also offered.
About the Wisconsin Covenant Foundation Inc.
A private, non-profit organization, the Wisconsin Covenant Foundation Inc., seeks to foster coordinated public and private investments in postsecondary education, increasingly a requirement for family-sustaining occupations. The foundation was created in 2007 with a $40 million lead gift from Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and Affiliates. Initiatives include helping disadvantaged Wisconsin Covenant Scholars pay for education beyond high school and strengthening the connection between Wisconsin’s technical colleges and employers.