Great Lakes Composites: Paddles in the Water and Full Steam Ahead!

Great Lakes Composites manufactures a wide array of plastic and resin products for industries such as boat building, defense, and truck manufacturing. Among their offerings is the well-known “Paddle Wheeler”, the iconic swan and dragon paddle boats that delight visitors at parks and lakes nationwide. Producing high-quality products like these requires a skilled workforce.

Great Lakes Composites applied for the Going PRO Talent Fund, Cycle 2 in 2023, recognizing a need to upskill their existing staff. This was their first application, and they were thrilled to be awarded funding.

With a grant of $19,800, the company was able to provide training that resulted in significant growth for many employees. Each participant received a pay increase, and several earned promotions. Cara Petoskey, Human Resources Manager, highlighted one particularly notable success: “Our biggest success story is an employee who was promoted to team lead at the beginning of our training and was recently promoted again to floor supervisor. These classes taught him and the rest of our team hands-on, practical skills, allowing them to grow in both compensation and responsibility.”