Manufacturing Production Technician - 1st Shift, Entry Level

Role details

Manufacturing Production Technician - 1st Shift, Entry Level

First Shift: Earn Up to $28/Hour by the End of Year One [No Experience Needed]

If you want steady first-shift manufacturing work, like working with your hands, and would rather build unique custom products than repeat the same task every working day, Mekco could be the next life chapter you’ve been looking for.

You’ll start at a minimum of $22/hour, and as you complete training, show you can be counted on, and take on more responsibility, you can build toward $28/hour in your first year.

Mekco, Inc., a short drive from both Sheboygan and Manitowoc, has been manufacturing for 50 years. The company builds custom fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) buildings, structures, and specialty products.

What kind of buildings and structures? Some Mekco products support water and wastewater systems. Others are used for energy and communications infrastructure. You’ll be helping create products with a purpose, protecting equipment that people and communities rely on.

This is real, hands-on manufacturing work. You’ll roll fiberglass, sand, buff, and patch it until it’s right. It can get messy, but when a finished product rolls out the door, you can look at it and know: you helped create that.

Why You’ll Love Life at Mekco

• Your afternoons start at 2:30 p.m. First shift runs 6:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. That leaves you with plenty of time (and sunshine!) to enjoy your hobbies, activities, and time with family.
• Steady hours, all year. This is a full 40-hour workweek year-round, not seasonal work that leaves you scrambling for your next paycheck.
• Your pay can grow with your skills. Start at $22/hour with the ability to build toward $28/hour within your first year after you complete training, demonstrate your reliability, and take on more responsibility.
• You won’t be stuck doing one motion on a production line every day of the year. Mekco’s work is custom. No two products are the same; neither are your daily activities.
• Open doors, not layers of hierarchy. If you have a question, you can go directly to engineers and managers who have the answer. A bonus? Management actually listens to your feedback.
• Hit your goals, get rewarded in very Mekco ways. Hitting team goals and KPIs has meant gift cards, company gear, paid experiences, and even custom cuts of beef.
• Find a place where you belong. At Mekco, you’re part of a small team where people know each other, laugh together, and enjoy working alongside one another. Sitting beside your co-workers at a pizza lunch or brat fry, you’ll know you’ve found a community where you belong.

What You’ll Do

• Roll, sand, buff, and patch fiberglass products.
• Use hand tools and power tools to build and finish parts.
• Complete assembly and fabrication work.
• Read prints and follow written work instructions. (If English isn't your first language, tools like Google Translate are available.)
• Measure carefully and build parts to the required size and specifications.
• Check your work and help catch quality problems before they move forward.
• Help prepare and create finished products for shipping.
• Keep your work area clean and organized.
• Follow safety steps and procedures.
• Work with the production team to keep projects moving and meet deadlines.
• Complete routine equipment checks.
• Help solve quality issues if they come up.

Job Requirements (No Manufacturing Experience Needed)

Previous factory, manufacturing, or fiberglass experience can help, but it is not required: Mekco is here to help you learn.

In fact, you may have more relevant experience than you think.

If you’ve worked in auto body repair, construction, carpentry, or another hands-on job, your skills can translate to the work you’ll do at Mekco.

The requirements you do need:

• Comfort with real (sometimes messy) hands-on work. Fiberglass can be dusty and messy, and has a unique smell and texture. But if you like working with your hands, watching a project take shape, and taking pride in what you built, you’ll feel right at home.
• The ability to safely do the physical parts of the job. Before starting, new hires complete a short pre-placement functional assessment that includes light lifting and carrying.
• Reliable attendance. Your team counts on you to show up and be ready to work.
• A willingness to learn. You’ll be learning new skills, processes, and ways of building as you grow in the job.
• Attention to detail. Parts have to meet the right measurements and specifications, not just be “close enough.”
• Basic measuring skills, including using a tape measure.
• Experience using hand tools and power tools.
• The ability to follow written instructions. This can involve reading prints, which Mekco can train you on. You are welcome to use Google Translate if English isn’t your first language.
• A high school diploma or GED.
• Authorization to work in the United States.
• Ability to pass a background check, drug test, and pre-employment physical fitness test.

Beneficial, but not required

• Previous manufacturing or fiberglass experience. (Sanding, buffing, and finishing are also great experience.)
• Forklift experience.
• A valid driver’s license.

Benefits Built for Life in the Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and Calumet County Areas

Go beyond the standard benefits like paid time off and insurance, and enjoy some rewards that are a little more uniquely Mekco.

• Get prorated PTO in your first year, then start your first full year with 72 hours (9 days), with more time off as your tenure grows.
• Enjoy 9.5 paid holidays each year.
• Health insurance: If you choose to enroll in Mekco’s group insurance plan, Mekco covers 60% of the premium.
• Dental insurance and vision coverage are available,too.
• 401(k) match: Mekco contributes $0.25 for every $1 you contribute, up to the first 6%.
• Mekco pays the full cost of one initial pair of prescription safety glasses and half the cost of safety shoes.
• Employees receive 50% off Mekco apparel through the company store.
• Good work gets noticed. KPI- and performance-based rewards may include Amazon gift cards, Mekco apparel, and other incentives. For example, in the past, some achievements have included a paid retreat day, with additional incentives.
• Enjoy time with your team thanks to ice cream trucks, pizza lunches, the company Christmas party, and more.

Pay: Start at $22/hour, Work Your Way Up to $28 in the First Year

Starting pay: $22.00/hour

• Potential to reach $28.00/hour within your first year as your skills and performance grow.
• The pay scale continues above $28.00/hour after the first year based on skill, merit, and growth.
• Exceptional work can also be recognized through KPI and performance-based incentives.

Schedule

• 40 hours per week
• 1st Shift: 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

Location

Mekco Manufacturing Inc.Newton, WI 53063In person

The Newton location is near the Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and Calumet County areas.

Want Steady Work and a Paycheck That Grows? Apply Now

If you want a job where you can learn new skills, work on changing projects, and see what you helped make at the end of the day, apply today to join the production team at Mekco manufacturing.

Pay: From $22.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Opportunities for advancement
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person