How Antron Engineering is developing local manufacturing talent
BELLINGHAM, Mass.—For many manufacturers, workforce development has become one of the industry’s biggest challenges. At Antron Engineering & Machine in Bellingham, Massachusetts, one solution has been found surprisingly close to home.
Over the last year, Antron has quietly built a pipeline of young talent by hiring current and former student-athletes from the Bellingham High School (BHS) football program into roles across machining, assembly, quality, and operations support. According to company leadership, the connection has proven to be a natural fit.
Antron Engineering & Machine has built a pipeline of young talent by hiring current and former student-athletes from the Bellingham High School (BHS) football program into roles across machining, assembly, quality, and operations support. (Photo courtesy Antron Engineering & Machine)
“The work ethic, accountability, and team mentality these athletes bring translates directly into manufacturing,” said Darren Cormier, general manager at Antron and a former BHS football player himself, in a company release. “A lot of these young guys come in eager to learn, willing to work, and comfortable being part of a team environment.”
The relationship between Antron and Bellingham football runs deep. Cormier and Antron contract manufacturing manager Mike Milani are both former BHS football players, Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) High School Football Super Bowl champions, and Hall of Fame inductees who have maintained a decades-long relationship with BHS head coach Dan Haddad.
That shared background helped create an organic partnership centered less on recruiting and more on opportunity.
“We’re always looking for people who want to learn, work hard, and want to improve,” said Milani. “A lot of these student-athletes already understand discipline, accountability, and how to work within a team. Those qualities matter in manufacturing.”
For Antron, the initiative has become about more than filling positions. It has also become a way to invest back into the local community while exposing younger generations to careers in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades.
As manufacturers nationwide continue searching for workforce solutions, Antron’s approach highlights the value of building talent pipelines locally—and the role community relationships can play in developing the next generation of manufacturing professionals.