Over the past 15 years in Wisconsin, the unemployment rate has experienced significant ebbing and flowing with the economy. As we know all too well, many jobs have been lost during this latest economic downswing. However, data indicates that new graduate hires from the Wisconsin Technical College System have remained at 90 percent or higher during this past fifteen years, even while unemployment was at its highest most recently (see image, right). While this doesn’t guarantee technical college grads will never experience a layoff or a job turndown, it does indicate that graduates of Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges can assuredly find a job and be confident that their job training is relevant to employers.
Employers can also be assured that the technical colleges are in tune with their training and employment needs. Advisory committees for numerous programs exist around the state, where employers voluntarily advise the colleges about their needs regarding technology, staff competencies and changes in the work environment.
The outcome of employer involvement means that the state will have a talented pool of workers who may either continue in their education or seek employment each year. It also means that employers can be confident in their workforce and the relevance of the technical college training. Residents of Wisconsin can be confident that graduates from the technical colleges will soon be working, contributing to the state’s economy and adding to tax revenue. Whether you or someone close to you attends a technical college, you can be sure their education not only serves the graduate, but that the positive impact on the state is significant.
Unemployment rates (represented by the yellow line), have spiked in recent years, but graduate placement rates (represented by blue columns) from Wisconsin's Technical Colleges have remained steady at 90 percent or higher.
Wisconsin Technical College News 