The Doe Run Company Success Story

Addressing Critical Maintenance Skills Gaps

Maintaining a skilled maintenance workforce is vital for The Doe Run Company’s safe and efficient operations. Like many industrial employers, the company has faced ongoing challenges in training employees for mechanical maintenance and mobile equipment systems.

To address these needs, The Doe Run Company partnered with Missouri One Start and Mineral Area College to deliver training to its maintenance team.

Year-Round Training Designed for Workplace Needs

Mineral Area College delivers year-round instruction for The Doe Run Company’s Maintenance Training Program at the West Fork Training Facility. The program integrates classroom learning with hands-on instruction tailored to the company’s systems, equipment, and processes.

Training topics include:

• Preventive maintenance
• Hydraulic troubleshooting
• Safety procedures
• Advanced repair techniques
• Mechanical Maintenance
• Mobile Equipment Mechanics

The structured, skills-based program offers Level 1 and Level 2 coursework, enabling employees to build foundational skills before progressing to advanced maintenance and mechanical competencies.

More than 30 participants completed training

Through the partnership with Missouri One Start and Mineral Area College, employees have gained advanced skills in Mechanical Maintenance and Mobile Equipment Mechanics.

These employees are developing practical skills to maintain and repair equipment more effectively, supporting productivity, safety, and workforce growth. Several participants have advanced into higher-skilled roles, with multiple trainees receiving promotions directly related to their training experience.

“The instructors explain things in a way that makes it easier to use at work.”

The Benefit of Hands-On Learning

Participant response to the program’s practical, job-related format has been positive. Many noted that hands-on labs, a year-round schedule, and the step-by-step structure helped them build confidence and apply what they learned.

“The hands-on labs and equipment time made the concepts click.”

Other trainees shared that instructors made the material easier to apply at work and provided valuable, job-relevant skills.

Missouri One Start Funding Enhances Retention and Productivity

Overall, Missouri One Start training reimbursement has enabled Doe Run to continue investing in its workforce by supporting year-round training.

Benefits of training:

• More than 30 employees are completing Level 1 or Level 2 training
• Promotions have been tied to the training experience
• Improved retention among trained employees
• Greater efficiency in maintenance operations
• Stronger safety practices
• A clearer path to promote from within
• Reduced hiring gaps and stronger institutional knowledge

By helping employees build skills and advance within the company, Missouri One Start funding addresses immediate workforce needs and supports long-term stability.

Ongoing Investment in Missouri’s Workforce

The Doe Run Company has previously participated in Missouri One Start’s Customized Training grant. In 2025, the company enters its third year with the program and its second year with the Job Retention Training Program grant.

As Missouri employers seek to recruit, train, and retain skilled workers, partnerships like this show how workforce programs and local education agencies can collaborate to meet business needs.

About Missouri One Start:

Missouri One Start is a Division within the Department of Economic Development. Training programs are administered regionally by local education agencies (LEAs). In addition to meeting certain eligibility criteria, companies must be making a capital investment five times greater than the amount of training funds they receive.