MichiganWorks helps Niagara mill workers.
IRON MOUNTAIN -- The August closure of the New Page paper mill in Niagara, Wisconsin left hundreds of workers with no place to turn to. Their situation prompted MichiganWorks to act in conjunction with other local agencies to try to place the dislocated workers in new jobs.
"Every time there's a dislocation at a company, we get our partners together and we look at opportunities we can identify to help people become reemployed as quickly as possible," said Holly Peoples, Director of Business Services for MichiganWorks.
Some of them have acquired new skills that will make them more marketable to potential employers, such as the recent graduates of a welding certification class in Iron Mountain. Because welding is a highly-skilled trade, their chances of finding a job have increased significantly.
"We always have a need for welders. That's such a skilled trade that it's hard to find people that are up to what we need," said Dan Davis, Human Resource Generalist for Northernstar Industries, which is the parent company for Boss Snowplow and Systems Control.
Working at New Page has given the graduates the work ethic that companies such as Northernstar are looking for.
"We're looking for the skilled trades to be accompanied by that hard work ethic and come to work and be good employees for a long time," Davis said.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWLUC