For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: January 8, 2019
Lactalis selects West for Sponsor-A-Scholar program
Fennimore -Shane West, a current student at Southwest Tech, has recently accepted a position at Lactalis in Belmont as its first Sponsor-a-Scholar Program (SASP) student. West, a native of Mt. Hope, is currently enrolled in the Electro-Mechanical Technology program and will begin working at Lactalis on a part-time basis while enrolled in school. Lactalis has agreed to pay $2,500 for each the second, third, and fourth semesters of the electro-mechanical program as long as West meets and maintains performance criteria as determined by Lactalis and commits to working for Lactalis for two years following graduation. “I am honored to have the opportunity to work for Lactalis. I feel it will benefit my education to get experience from work that I can use in the classroom. Lactalis is giving me a great opportunity,” said West.
The SASP was initiated as a way to recruit students into high demand fields, partner them with an employer seeking skilled labor and offset the majority of the student’s tuition costs with scholarships and direct payment from the employer. Through the Southwest Tech Foundation, Lactalis made a charitable donation of $2,500 for a scholarship to recruit students into the Electro-Mechanical Technology program.
“With Lactalis being an international company and one of the largest employers within Southwest Wisconsin we want to build and continue our partnership with Southwest Wisconsin Technical College for current and future graduating students to meet our industrial/technology needs within our diverse workforce,” stated Lenny Bass, Campus and Dairy Academy Manager at Lactalis.
(L-R) Todd Engelman, Maintenance Manager; Kendal Garrison, Human Resources Manager; Shane West, and Lenny Bass, Campus and Dairy Academy Manager.
Kim Schmelz, Director of External Relations and Alumni Development stated, “There is a need from our business partners to find, recruit and train highly skills technicians. We are excited for Mr. West to have this opportunity to broaden his skills in the workforce, and we feel fortunate that Lactalis is willing to make an investment for current and future students by participating in the Sponsor-A-Scholar program.”
The Electro-Mechanical Technology program provides training in electrical and electronic controls, robotics, utilization of computers and computer-based controls, as well as the knowledge of how these controls integrate with hydraulics, pneumatics and other mechanical drive elements to form automated systems.
Lactalis American Group is the North American division of the world’s largest dairy company in the world with over 1,750 employees in the U.S. with six manufacturing sites. It has three of North America’s most popular cheese brands: President, Galbani, and Rondele. The Lactalis plant in Belmont opened in 1982 and currently employs 260 people.
For information on how to become a SASP sponsor, contact the Southwest Tech Foundation at 608.822.2379 and for more information or how to enroll in the Electro-Mechanical Technology Program call 608-822-3262.