Civic involvement: Hitchiner Manufacturing in the community

Hitchiner Manufacturing  is deeply invested in education and fostering wellbeing through programs such as scholarships to local students, a free health care clinic for workers and their families, and donations to the Boys and Girls Club of Souhegan Valley, to name a few of their efforts.

The company partners with local educational institutions to offer internships and opportunities – including Milford High School, Keene State College, WPI, UNH, Manchester Community College and others. 

Hitchiner has also done work in developing the state’s workforce, both through investing in STEM programs and initiatives, but also through partnerships with schools and other business sectors. Hitchiner Manufacturing is a member of the New Hampshire Manufacturing Sector Partnership (RCAM) since 2013, and in 2016, the company hosted the launch of the New Hampshire Manufacturing Sector Partnership Initiative (NH SPI), which helps businesses in the manufacturing, hospitality, health care and information technology sectors assist workers with career advancement.

Of particular note is the recent collaboration with our local public high school, the Milford High School Manufacturing Exploration and Externship Program. Coordinating with administrators and teachers and another local manufacturer, this program coordinates coursework on manufacturing along with hands-on experience. The students will spend part of their time working and part of the day in the classroom, gaining the knowledge they will need to be successful in a manufacturing job. As an added benefit to students, they can also earn seven college credits through the Community College System of New Hampshire.

On a statewide level, Hitchiner is a corporate leader in efforts to develop and improve the state’s workforce, both through investing in STEM programs and initiatives. Hitchiner Manufacturing is a member of the Regional Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM) since 2013, and in 2016, the company hosted the launch of the New Hampshire Manufacturing Sector Partnership Initiative (NH SPI), which helps businesses in the manufacturing, hospitality, health care and information technology sectors assist workers with career advancement.

Hitchiner provides all of its employees and their dependents access to a free, on-site health clinic that offers services from physicals and flu shots to management of chronic conditions like diabetes. The facility’s two health care providers can serve as a primary care physician to employees, and the company even offers physicals for incoming employees. In 2019, Hitchiner continued to see an increase in the number of people who use this resource.

The company supports employee professional development through a variety of programs. Hitchiner Manufacturing has had several employees enrolled in the Manchester Community College Robotics Certificate program, the Nashua Community College Advanced Manufacturing program, Keene State University’s Hitchiner Engineering Certificate program, and the University of New Hampshire MBA program.

Hitchiner Manufacturing is deeply invested in education and fostering wellbeing through programs such as scholarships to local students, a free health care clinic for workers and their families, and donations to the Boys and Girls Club of Souhegan Valley, to name a few of their efforts.