Eli Kallio returned in 2020 for a fifth summer at Waupaca Foundry. He began as a high school co-op student in the pattern shop in 2016. After graduating high school, he immediately pursued an internship in the tooling department and continued for four more years.

Eli is currently attending UW-Platteville majoring in Industrial Technology and Management (ITM). His expected graduation date is December 2020.

Eli has just accepted (conditional upon completing his bachelor degree) a full-time position as a Tooling Engineer. In that role, he will run Magma simulations to determine the best gating solution for each tooling design. And, like his peers, Eli will work toward continuous improvement—in an effort to reduce manufacturing cost and improve scrap.

His experience as a co-op student and an intern prepared him for the full-time engineering role. “Years of interning helped me immensely." Eli informs that beginning his journey in the pattern shop helped him understand the tooling process process—from designing to finishing and machining iron castings. “Designing [the] tooling on a computer is one thing, however putting it to work and actually making it on the floor is entirely another.”

Taking his five years of hands-on experience gained working in the pattern shop, Eli understands what is expected and how to help the pattern shop team when designing tooling. “I had that side of things working in the pattern shop, understanding how it goes on, what they’re looking for, [and] the issues that they run into." Eli informs that working in the pattern shop helped him appreciate how the pattern shop builds tooling and now can help make changes to his designs to better suit and support the pattern shop employees in the long run.

Eli expresses gratitude for his experience at Waupaca Foundry. “I enjoy my job and the people I work with.” He is thankful for his co-workers and mentors who helped him get to where he is today. “I had a fantastic boss that came out of the [internship] program."

Waupaca Foundry has a wide variety of professional, engineering, and manufacturing employment opportunities for college and technical students of all interests, to prepare young professionals for the world of work.

The Summer Help Program at Waupaca Foundry provides valuable work experience and an insight into the variety of professional and manufacturing careers in the metalcasting industry. Students interested in summer employment and internships at Waupaca Foundry are encouraged to apply.