D&S Manufacturing Receives Award for Commitment to Manufacturing Education

Fabricator helps Wisconsin take positive action to address changing age demographics that will eventually result in a lack of trained and skilled workers entering the workforce.

Michael Dougherty, the president of D&S Manufacturing (Black River Falls, WI), announced earlier this year that the Advanced Manufacturing Network – Northwest presented the company with a 2010 Appreciation Award for continued support of Manufacturing Education and The Gold Collar Careers Initiative. According to Joni Geroux, the marketing and sales coordinator for the Northwest Wisconsin Manufacturing Outreach Center, D&S employees were specifically recognized for their enthusiastic participation in the development of a promotional video designed to encourage middle and beginning high school students to choose careers in manufacturing. These projects were made possible through a grant provided by the Wisconsin Technical College System.

“High tech manufacturing and engineering jobs are considered Gold Collar Careers, in part, because these employees, from both the blue collar and white collar workforces, are compensated above the median wage in the United States and in our region,” Geroux explained. “Our objective is to favorably influence the perception of students, parents, counselors and teachers by showcasing the many career opportunities available in the manufacturing sector. These jobs require a high level of skill and are financially, personally and professionally rewarding. There is also a growing concern, particularly in the northwestern portion of the state of Wisconsin, that changing age demographics will eventually result in a lack of trained and skilled workers entering the workforce. By taking positive action now, we have the opportunity to reverse that trend,” she concluded.

For more than 40 years, ISO 9001:2008 certified D&S Manufacturing has served as a custom manufacturer of exceptional quality large scale components, assemblies and complete weldments for a broad cross section of well-respected corporations that include Caterpillar, Oshkosh Corporation, Parkson, The Trane Company and CNH. The company’s extensive capabilities include technologically superior machining, laser, high definition plasma and oxy-fuel cutting, as well as manual and robotic welding. These resources are complemented by diverse value-added services ranging from liquid spray painting and shot blasting to assembly and testing.

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