For many of our employees, working at the Foundry runs in the family. Autumn Raether, daughter of tooling engineer Brian Raether, added to her family's legacy this summer. Autumn was a human resources intern at Waupaca Foundry's ductile iron plant in Marinette, Wis. She began her second year of college at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College- Marinette in the fall of 2018 where she will continue studying human resources.

Before starting her internship at Waupaca Foundry, Autumn, like many college students, was unsure of what she wanted to study in school.

"My first year of college, I literally changed my major eight times—in one semester. At the same time, I started to get really into "The Office" and the idea of human resources. However, I didn't really know too much about what a person in human resources did."

Autumn had worked in the core room at Waupaca Foundry the previous summer but was unaware to the internship opportunities within the company. Her father, hoping to help Autumn find a career that interested her, asked human resources manager Phillip Eatherton, about opportunities relating to his daughter's major.

For the summer, Autumn worked at the front desk—helping new employees complete paperwork, answering questions, assisting anyone who walked through the door, and creating job postings and submitting those results to department supervisors and foremen.

"Before coming to Waupaca Foundry, I never had a job that I actually looked forward going to; this internship is a first. I have met so many great people, and I have strengthened my communication and computer skills all while being able to see how an actual office functions."

The internship program gave Autumn the experience to figure out what she wants to do after graduation.

On August 12, 2018 Autumn started working full-time as a receptionist. After obtaining her degree, she hopes to find a permanent spot in human resources.

"I have worked in the foundry as well as the office, and I see that this company truly functions as a team. I am now 100 percent confident that I want to pursue a career in human resources at Waupaca Foundry."

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