Domtar’s Nekoosa Mill opened its doors to the next generation of skilled laborers on April 30, hosting 34 students from Lincoln High School and four students from Mid-State Technical College for a “Maintenance Day with the Trades.”
The event offered students a comprehensive look at industrial careers with tours of six specialized trade areas: millwright, pipefitter, welder, machinist, engineering, and electrical and instrumentation.
During the visit, students engaged directly with veteran craftsmen to discuss career trajectories and the daily responsibilities of mill operations. Each trade department provided hands-on demonstrations showcasing the specific equipment and technical skills required in a modern paper mill environment.
Following the tours, representatives from Mid-State Technical College met with attendees to discuss educational requirements, specifically highlighting the Industrial Mechanical Technician degree program.
Organizers noted the event was designed to help students navigate their post-graduation options by highlighting the stability and opportunities found in technical trades.
The success of the program was made possible by the following Domtar employees:
- Planning and Execution: Brandon Acker, David Gilbert, Forrest Gross, Alan Hartness, Jenny Havlovic, Jordan Hodgson, Lucas Jasonides, Drew Johnson, Connor Krueger, Piper Letak, Jordan Quinnell, John Repinski, Kenzie Statz, Kyle Steele, Jon Tschudy and Nate Ubinger.
- Engineering and Maintenance: Gary Sairs and Mike Verhulst.
- Millwrights: Bob Atwood and Scott Smith.
- Electrical and Instrumentation: Tucker Keenan and Justin Millner.
- Welders: Mark Meronek and Kyle Weiler.
- Machinists: Jeff Pulchinski and Rick Somers.
- Pipefitter: Clay Fitzpatrick.