Duperon Corporation — a leading provider of screening and solids handling solutions — recently welcomed more than 200 students from Saginaw Career Complex to its international headquarters in Saginaw, Michigan in May to celebrate National Skilled Trades Day.
Hosting for the fourth year in a row, the event underscores the company’s commitment to the future of the water sector and the people behind it.
“We look forward to Skilled Trades Day every year,” says Mark Turpin, president of Duperon. “With public awareness of water issues at what feels like an all-time high, the observance allows us to introduce young professionals to the trade. We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with SCC and hope our event will inspire attendees to explore opportunities in the field, if not with Duperon, perhaps with another company making a lasting impact on our planet. It’s clear, now more than ever, a committed and skilled workforce will be essential in the years ahead.”
Students learned about the wastewater industry and how Duperon products play a role in ensuring local communities have access to clean water. Students toured Duperon’s facility and engaged in interactive sessions led by industry leaders of tomorrow and experienced experts. Returning students attended a separate session where they designed and constructed their own filtration prototypes.
The itinerary included several engaging sessions featuring key speakers from Duperon. Session 1, titled Entrepreneurial Spirit, was led by founder Terry Duperon. Session 2 was titled Careers at Duperon, led by Amanda Buck, HR manager. Session 3, Research & Development, featured Enos Rivers, R&D/SkunkWorks engineer, alongside mechanical engineer Steve Lanczak, discussing innovation and product development. Additionally, there was a special session for returning students called Ideation & Prototyping, led by Ben Jolly, systems engineering manager.
Established in 2019 in honor of the American skilled trades workforce, National Skilled Trades Day is observed annually on the first Wednesday in May. SCC is the Career and Technical Education Center for Saginaw County, offering programs that help students prepare for college, technical work or skilled entry-level work while being jointly enrolled in regular high school classes. To learn more about its programs and local impact, visit spsd.net.
