Human Resource Intern – Training & Development

Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry | Manitowoc, WI
Paid Summer 2027 Internship | Monday – Friday | Day Shift

What if you could change how an entire workforce learns?

Every day, skilled employees teach the next generation how to operate equipment, produce quality castings, work safely, and solve problems on the manufacturing floor.

But how do we make sure those skills are taught consistently? How do we help employees move beyond their current roles? And how do we turn hands-on experience into a clear path for career growth?

That’s where you come in.

Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry is looking for a curious, driven Human Resources Intern who sees training as more than checking a box. We want someone excited about developing people, building better systems, and making a measurable impact.

This summer, you’ll take ownership of a signature Training & Development project: building a practical, skills-based training system for our production workforce. You’ll work directly with employees, supervisors, HR, and Safety to understand the work, identify the skills that matter, and design a system that helps people learn, qualify, and grow.

This isn’t a shadowing-only internship. You’ll build something real, present your recommendations to leadership, and leave behind work our teams can continue using long after summer ends.

This summer, you will build a better way to train, qualify, and grow employees by:  

1. Getting on the floor. Learning the work.

Great training starts with understanding the people doing the job.

• Walk the manufacturing floor and shadow employees across production operations
• Talk with operators, trainers, and supervisors about how employees learn their jobs today
• Identify the essential skills, safety practices, equipment knowledge, and quality standards required for each role
• Find opportunities to make training clearer, more consistent, and easier to follow

2. Build the training system.

Turn what you learn into a practical tool that connects job requirements to employee development.

• Day-one readiness: Define the foundational skills and knowledge employees need when starting a role.
• Skills and qualification matrices: Map the requirements for each production position and establish clear qualification milestones.
• Training standards: Help define how skills are taught, demonstrated, documented, and signed off.
• Cross-training opportunities: Identify how employees can expand their capabilities across jobs, equipment, and departments.
• Career progression: Create visibility into what employees need to learn to advance toward higher skill levels and trainer responsibilities.

3. Turn information into action.

A good training system should help leaders make better decisions, not create more paperwork.

• Develop a straightforward tracking tool to show training progress and employee qualifications.
• Identify skill gaps, single points of failure, and opportunities to strengthen workforce coverage.
• Partner with supervisors to evaluate practical improvements to the training process.
• Present your completed project, findings, and recommendations to HR and Operations leadership.

You will leave Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry with a training framework that helps supervisors develop talent, employees build skills, and the business strengthen its workforce.

You’ll also gain hands-on experience across several areas of Human Resources and learn how they connect to the employee experience.

• Talent Acquisition: Support recruiting, applicant screening, interview coordination, and onboarding.
• Safety & Compliance: Assist with training documentation, safety communications, and manufacturing floor activities.
• Employee Development: Help improve job descriptions and clarify the skills and qualifications required for different roles.
• Benefits & Employee Resources: Support employee questions and prepare materials that make information easier to understand.
• Policies & Processes: Review handbook content and help improve the clarity and usability of HR resources.

You could be a great fit if:

• You’re pursuing a degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Learning & Development, Business, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or a related field.
• You’re genuinely interested in how people learn, develop skills, and grow into new opportunities.
• You enjoy solving problems, organizing information, and turning ideas into usable tools.
• You’re comfortable asking questions, talking with people at every level, and learning how manufacturing works.
• You have experience with Excel or are motivated to build your skills quickly.
• You can balance the details of a project with the bigger picture of why it matters.
• You understand the importance of confidentiality, professionalism, and follow-through.

You don’t need to know everything about manufacturing or training when you arrive. You do need curiosity, initiative, and a willingness to learn.

Most importantly, you’ll understand how effective training can help people succeed at work and how investing in people strengthens an entire organization.

Apply today at www.wafco.com/careers