Walker, officials mark launch of WCTC Dual Enrollment Academy

From gmtoday.com: “Senior year as bridge to a career” — PEWAUKEE – If more high school students were like Bradley Servidas, things would be easier for Trace-A-Matic President Thorsten Wienss.

Gov. Scott Walker, right, talks with dual-enrollment student Ian Weiberg of Eagle during a tour of the Waukesha County Technical College CNC machining lab. Charles Auer/Freeman Staff

Servidas is a senior at Brookfield Central High School and is also in Waukesha County Technical College’s Dual Enrollment Academy as a member of the Tool and Die/CNC cohort. He said the program is a great way to start a career and it has been fun to make new friends and do something that not every high school senior gets to do.

“It’s more hands-on than I thought,” he said. “I love it. This is what I want to do when I grow up.”

For Wienss, the president of a machining company, the problem is that not everyone shares Servidas’ desire to pursue a career in his industry. He told a crowd at WCTC on Tuesday that most parents believe their son or daughter must go to a four-year college or university.

“We’re driving our kids in the wrong direction,” he said, adding that there are already too many lawyers stuck working as bartenders.

He said that when his company tries to recruit people, it is difficult to find potential employees with the necessary educational level. The problem is commonly referred to as the skills gap.

The crowd Wienss was speaking to wasn’t just any gathering. Gov. Scott Walker was on hand, along with Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson, WCTC President Barbara Prindiville, officials from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, school superintendents, lawmakers and other officials.

They were all there for the official launch of the Dual Enrollment Academy, a yearlong pilot program permitting high school seniors to receive credit from the technical college and their schools at the same time. To be eligible, students must have a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average, be on track to graduate and meet college entrance requirements.

The program has cohorts in tool and die/CNC, welding/fabrication and IT networking, all industries the schools identified as high-demand areas.  Students spend the majority of their day at WCTC during both semesters, and depending on the program could earn an industry certificate by the time they graduate high school.

Two school districts, Elmbrook and Waukesha, were involved in the initial development of the program. The Arrowhead, New Berlin, Pewaukee, Sussex Hamilton and West Allis school districts, along with Light House Academy, have since joined in the collaboration.

Students, construction industry partner to build for the future

From wbay.com: “Students, construction industry partner to build for the future” — Green Bay – A Green Bay non-profit group tasked with renovating and rehabbing run-down homes and neighborhoods is setting to work on a new mission, partnering with a crew you’d least expect.

At first glance, it looks like just another construction project — a garage being built behind a century-old home.

Look closer, and you’ll see the crew is far younger than most, consisting solely of juniors and seniors at Green Bay West and Southwest High Schools.

“We’ve learned how to put up the walls, rafters and headers and kind of just how it starts out,” says Southwest High School senior Xavier Massey.

It’s the result of a new partnership among the Green Bay Public School District, the Brown County Homebuilders Association, NeighborWorks Green Bay and NWTC to not only rehab a blighted property but help students focus on their futures.

“What we’re trying to achieve is give the students a clear path to the construction industry,” says Tim Denissen, NeighborWorks Green Bay project manager.

“Brown County Homebuilders was a big part of that, because there was a need for skilled laborers in the construction trades, and they really wanted to start a program like this at Green Bay Southwest and West,” says Kyle Wagner, residential construction program teacher at Green Bay West High School.

Under supervision from an experienced instructor and local contractors, the nine students are doing nearly all the work, building a new garage and renovating the foreclosure in the 300 block of Oakland Avenue back into the gem it was when built in the late 1800s.

“This home was in serious, serious trouble, but when we’re done with this, it’ll be another housing option for people in the neighborhood,” says Denissen.

And the students like knowing they’re work is making a difference.

“This is my first time actually noticing this house, but it’ll be cool when it’s all done. We can drive past and know the people that actually live here,” says West High School junior Katie Clark.

“It’ll be nice to know that I actually helped and made my community better,” adds Massey.

The students will finish the project in January.

NeighborWorks will then take over and rent out the two-family home.

Donation helps fund high-tech classrooms

From fox11online.com: “New high-tech classrooms at FVTC” — GRAND CHUTE – Fox Valley Tech is going high tech in its classrooms.

KI paid $150,000 to help bring four new learning labs to the school at the start of the fall semester.

An official dedication was held Tuesday afternoon.

The rooms include multi-media screens and walls and desks that can be written on.

“We have learned through a lot of research and education that collaboration is key for student learning and I think these classrooms really give us the opportunity to provide the students with a lot of different ways to collaborate with each other,” said Cris Gordon, social science instructor at FVTC.

School leaders say general education courses are taught in the new classrooms.

Column: Police officers take seriously commitment to protect, serve

From postcrescent.com: “Police officers take seriously commitment to protect, serve” — My daughter raised her right hand to be sworn in.

“On my honor, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the Constitution, my community and the agency I serve.”

I always knew this day would come. Before she could write, she scribbled “tickets” to offending family members. Lights and sirens evoked heartfelt prayers and a million questions. Halloween “uniforms” were easy. Unusual gifts included handcuffs and police scanners. Most mothers encourage children to avoid traffic. As a Police Explorer, my daughter’s whistle and expertly executed hand motions finally allowed her access to busy intersections. It really struck home when a bulletproof vest hung in my laundry room.

Some public servants, like my daughter, are born for policing, ingrained with a sense of justice, an undeniable passion to help and an unwavering commitment to goodwill.

The police badge represents the shield medieval knights carried into battle. Daily, they strapped on armor, shields and weapons as they protected the people. Brave law enforcement officers do the same today.

None of us know what we may face when we walk out the door on any given day. Neither do our public servants. The difference is when they get ready for work; they strap on a gun, bulletproof vest, and shield and rush to help with unforeseen tragedies. They walk out their door in the morning with a noble purpose — to protect and serve.

I interviewed dozens of law enforcement officers, looking for the proverbial bad apples — the power-hungry bullies above the law whom the media loves to vilify. I couldn’t find one. Although the media would have us believe most citizens resent police officers, I found the opposite.

Grand Chute Police Chief Greg Peterson confirmed most people respect police officers.

“We consistently deal with 2 to 5 percent of the population in their worst moments — people with tremendous needs,” he said.

Safety agencies want feedback to prevent negative perceptions. Peterson said, “We encourage people to contact us if they were treated unprofessionally. We only get a handful of complaints and we take them very seriously. We want the best for our community and demand it from our officers. That is why the hiring process is so rigorous.”

Mark Kohl, the Law Enforcement Recruitment Academy director at Fox Valley Technical College, trusts the academic system.

“We set extremely high standards for these young men and women,” he said. “The recruit process weeds out candidates with wrong motives. Abilities to multitask, problem solve, collaborate and meet high cognitive standards, along with physical stamina and precise technical skills, are what graduates must prove.”

Though part social worker, health care provider, translator, counselor and advocate, police officers are also fathers, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers and daughters just like us. The difference is their commitment to a job most of us would never consider.

Academy recruits from FVTC shared their perspective about policing. They agreed values like honor, courage and commitment to community have been passed down through legacies of law enforcement. Eager to uphold values from their oath, they trust the training, academics and character tests that prepare them to take their place as the next generation of public servants.

While visiting New York City, I met NYPD Officer Lawrence DePrimo. You may remember him as one of People Magazine’s Heroes of the Year in 2012. A tourist’s photo of DePrimo giving shoes to a homeless man went viral. DePrimo humbly said, “It was just a normal day on the job. I got up, went to work and helped someone. Any officer would have done it. We do it every day.”

Most police officers are men and women of integrity who honor the badge and oath they swore to uphold. So the next time you see flashing lights in your rear-view mirror, get cited for a traffic violation or are asked to inconveniently detour, remember these men and women are working to protect the community, ensure public safety and save lives.

Today, they may provide that service to you or someone you love.

 

 

40 students start dual credit program at WCTC

From jsonline.com: “Program to train high school students for high-demand fields launched” — Village of Pewaukee — High school seniors from seven area school districts are earning their high school diploma while also learning skills for high-demand fields under a program launched at Waukesha County Technical College.

The yearlong pilot of Waukesha County Technical College’s Dual Enrollment Academy started this fall with 40 high school seniors. The program offers manufacturing-related skills training in welding and metal fabrication, tool and die, and information technology.

Each of the three programs has eight to 18 students who spend a majority of their school days at WCTC, while also completing high school requirements.

At the end of the school year, the students will receive industry-recognized “workplace certificates” in addition to a high school diploma, so they can either seek employment immediately or continue honing their skills in college. They will earn 20 to 24 college credits, depending on the program.

A seminar before they graduate also will teach them résumé writing, interviewing, personal branding, portfolio creation and other industry-specific steps to secure a job.

State and technical college officials said Tuesday at an official announcement of the program that they hope to expand the dual enrollment program to other school districts and technical colleges across Wisconsin.

Waukesha County is a logical trailblazer because it has one of the highest concentrations of manufacturing businesses in the state, they said.

The state Department of Workforce Development and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. each contributed $77,576 toward instructional costs for the pilot. Waukesha County Technical College contributed about $235,000 toward the pilot program.

There currently is no cost to the students beyond their transportation to WCTC, and the technical college doesn’t intend for there to be a cost to students in the future, according to a WCTC spokeswoman.

“This example illustrates the future pathway for workforce development,” Lee Swindall, vice president for business and industry development with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., said during a news conference at WCTC.

Swindall said he believes it will be “a highly effective” model that’s mutually beneficial to high school students with a passion for this type of work, and manufacturers seeking qualified workers to either maintain or expand their operations in Wisconsin.

Participating schools

School districts participating in the program include Waukesha, Arrowhead, Elmbrook, New Berlin, Pewaukee, Hamilton and West Allis-West Milwaukee, along with the Light House Academy for home-schooled students.

Brookfield-based Trace-A-Matic has committed to offering 10 jobs to tool and die students when they complete the program, and an additional stipend based on their grade point average.

Trace-A-Matic President Thorsten Wienss said during the news conference Tuesday that selling parents on the idea of technical training instead of a four-year university degree is difficult.

“Today, parents believe my child is college-bound and I’ll be driven nuts if they don’t go to college,” Wienss said. “We’re driving our kids in the wrong direction.”

Students who choose technical fields can contribute to society sooner than their four-year college counterparts, and buy homes by the time they’re 26 or 27, rather than be faced with $60,000 to $70,000 in college loan debt, Wienss said.

Master craftsmen and craftswomen deserve the same respect and recognition as doctors and lawyers, Gov. Scott Walker said. They are key to the nation’s economic recovery, as businesses will only grow if they have the workforce talent to sustain them, he said.

“I am convinced the state that gets out front of this will lead the recovery of the economy,” said Walker, who attended the Tuesday news conference at WCTC. “We’re going to be able to attract more businesses to grow here and to come here.”

Industry involved

Area industry leaders played a key role in developing the criteria for the new workplace certificates. They also are involved with classroom presentations and with providing job-shadowing opportunities, industry tours and internships.

To be chosen for WCTC’s Dual Enrollment Academy, students had to be high school seniors with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, be on track to graduate from high school and meet college entrance and program requirements.

Students also were tested to make sure they have the fundamental math skills to succeed in the technical fields.

Manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin pay an average $52,000 a year, and have about half the turnover rate of other jobs, Walker said.

The fastest growing segment of technical college enrollment is students with four-year degrees who realize the job market is strongest for those with technical skills, the governor said.

 

Panel tells students how manufacturing has changed

From leadertelegram.com: “Manufacturing panel meets at CVTC” — Baldwin-Woodville High School student McKenzie Kohls was looking for reassurance about the future of manufacturing in Wisconsin.

“My grandfather was a welder who came home looking like a coal miner every day,” Kohls told the state’s Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and a panel of manufacturing experts gathered at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire Tuesday. “How has manufacturing changed?”

Panel members spoke to Kohls’ question, hoping in the process to dispel the idea that manufacturing is a dirty job.

Mary Isbister, president of GenMet, a metal fabricator in Mequon, said welding and most other manufacturing jobs are no longer dirty professions.

“You can’t have smoke and dust and dirt in places that have advanced manufacturing equipment,” Isbister said. “The equipment that we use, and the processes that we use, have advanced light years. It doesn’t look like it used to.”

Panel members were attending a Women in Manufacturing event at CVTC in recognition of October’s designation as Manufacturing Month. The event, sponsored by Wisconsin Gold Collar Careers Manufacturing Works Group, included a tour of CVTC’s Manufacturing Education Center and a public-private speed networking session.

Students from Eleva-Strum and Baldwin-Woodville schools attended the panel discussion in person while their counterparts in Bloomer, Cumberland, Gilmanton, Pepin, Shell Lake, Turtle Lake, and Webster schools followed the event via video conferencing.

Manufacturing professionals and educators have been working for years to change the image of the industrial sector.

“We still have people who view manufacturing as a dirty place with things lying all over,” said Craig Semingson, superintendent of the Eleva-Strum school district, which received praise at the event for having one of the best manufacturing education programs in the state. “But these are professional places where you’re not going to wear your Metallica T-shirt to work every day.”

Dawn Tabat, chief operating officer of Generac Power Systems, a Wisconsin home generator manufacturer with facilities in Whitewater, Waukesha and Eagle, acknowledged there was some truth to manufacturing’s poor image in years past.

“There were a lot of people making good money in manufacturing for what were pretty low-skilled jobs,” Tabat said. “But those unskilled jobs are gone. U.S. manufacturing got smart. These are jobs that are going to require a lot of special skills. There’s a whole new world in manufacturing.”

Kleefisch echoed that sentiment.

“These are ‘smart jobs,’ ” she said. “We need your brains. We need your bright ideas in manufacturing.”

Dan Conroy, vice president of human resources at Nexen, a manufacturer of power transmission and other products with a plant in Webster, said just 12 percent of jobs in his company require only a high school education while 70 percent require a technical college education and 18 percent a university degree.

“I always use the term ‘advanced manufacturing.’ We won’t hire you unless you go to school after high school,” Conroy said.

Students asked questions about job opportunities in manufacturing fields and which courses they should be take to prepare themselves for those jobs. Panelists said a wide range of manufacturing-related jobs are available.

“You can do almost anything within manufacturing, but you have to understand how manufacturing works. Today’s manufacturing operates very complex equipment,” Isbister said, noting students should not only focus on math but should have a broad-based education to be attractive to employers. “There probably aren’t too many classes that wouldn’t be advantageous to you,” she told students.

Panel members encouraged women to explore careers in what remains a heavily male-dominated field.

Tabat shared her story of a 42-year rise from production and secretarial work at Generac Power Systems to a human resources job and eventually to chief operating officer.

“I started out with a small company and the company grew bigger and bigger, and I grew with it,” Tabat said, noting just 6 percent of company leaders are women.

“There are no other places that have a greater opportunity for women to compete on a level playing field than manufacturing,” Tabat said.

“You can use a laser cutter to break the glass ceiling,” Kleefisch said.

 

Governor visits SWTC to talk manufacturing

From swnews4u.com: “Walker: ‘Manufacturing Matters'” — Wisconsin is open for business. Manufacturers are welcome.

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College hosted over 150 people, including Gov. Scott Walker, during a Manufacturing Month event Monday morning, Oct. 21.

“I think manufacturing matters,” Walker told his receptive audience, which included area dignitaries and high school students. “I think it has been a proud part of our state’s history, but more importantly I think it is going to be an even more dynamic part of our state’s future.

“We just got to make sure we have people ready to fill those positions.”

The event was made possible in part due to the efforts of the Southwest Wisconsin Chamber Alliance, a new collaboration of six Chamber of Commerce groups (Dodgeville, Fennimore, Lancaster, Mineral Point, Platteville and Prairie du Chien).

“As an advocate for all of our businesses and communities, we endorse southwest Wisconsin as an economically feasible region to start or relocate a business,” said Southwest Wisconsin Chamber Alliance co-chair Robert Moses. “Our goal for today is to bring a higher level of awareness for the manufacturing opportunities in southwest Wisconsin.”

In his opening remarks, Southwest Tech President Dr. Duane Ford noted several successes the College has enjoyed relating to manufacturing since 2011.

Southwest Tech has increased the number of workers it trains per year by more than 63 percent since 2009. In addition, the College has developed two new programs.

One program assists maintenance technicians to understand how the machines they utilize network with computer systems. The second helps electricians work in specialized environments of dairy and food manufacturing plants.

Ford noted Southwest Tech has benefited from more than $3.93 million in support from 27 different private, state and federal grants.

“What ensures our success is when employers, economies and state governments work in partnership,” he said. “So thank you, manufacturers, and thank you Governor Walker and Secretary [Reggie] Newson, as well as members of the legislature.”

Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) of the 51st Assembly District and Lee Nersion (R-Westby) of the 96th Assembly District were among those in attendance. Jeff Curry attended on behalf of Rep. Travis Tranel, who is currently traveling abroad in Taiwan.

Walker has toured other Wisconsin Technical College System schools this month, where Ford believes the governor has heard similar success stories.

“Southwest Tech’s story is not at all unique,” he said. “All 16 of Wisconsin’s technical colleges are at the heart of workforce, economic and community development within their local districts.

“All 16 listen and respond. All 16 succeed via productive partnerships with numerous private and public stakeholders. And all 16 are this month celebrating successes similar to what you see in southwest Wisconsin.”

Walker proclaimed October as Manufacturing Month to recognize the contributions of the state’s manufacturing employers and workers and to highlight manufacturing as a valuable career pathway.

“Our focus in October is on manufacturing, but really our focus needs to be all year around,” he said Monday morning.

“There are two key industries that drive this state’s economy: one is manufacturing and the other is agriculture.
“There are some great opportunities to grow and expand in that regard.”

Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector contributes nearly $50 billion a year to Wisconsin’s economy and ranks second in the country in the relative size of its manufacturing sector, which employed more than 450,000 workers as of July 2013.

Walker told the audience when it comes to manufacturing in Wisconsin, there are many key areas the state government can help.

“One is lowering the cost of doing business in Wisconsin,” he said. “More often than not, it is just getting out of the way.

Walker noted he signed into law Sunday a property tax relief bill. The two-year, $100 million increase in state school aid is projected to save $13 for the typical homeowner this December.

He also mentioned the Manufacturing and Agriculture Credit, which is available for income derived from manufacturing or agricultural property in the state. It will offset a share of Wisconsin income taxes.

In 2016, the credit will increase to 7.5 percent.

“When you lower the cost of doing business, you put money into the hands of people, as consumers, and into the hands of employers,” Walker said. “That makes tremendous business.

“The time is right for us for us, particularly when it comes to manufacturing, to make a case that we have a pretty compelling argument to be in the state of Wisconsin.”

Walker also explained the state aims to become a better partner in the role of education.

“When it comes to manufacturing, one of the things we did, in particular in this budget, is we put funding in so we in the future can start as early as sixth grade, doing academic and career planning,” he said.

The state’s technical colleges will also be counted on to play a role.

“We want to stress when it comes to manufacturing, how important it is to have good technical colleges focused on advanced manufacturing, healthcare and IT, those are the areas with the biggest work shortages in Wisconsin,” he said. “We think filling those positions, and putting more resources in our technical colleges and worker training programs are key to economic growth and ultimately more jobs in the state.”

Walker said some members of his generation are in need of a “wake up call” in regards to the changes in manufacturing.

“If you look in the state of Wisconsin, the average manufacturing job will pay $52,000 a year,” he said. “That’s 25 percent higher than all jobs out there.

“It’s not just a higher salary, 87 percent of all manufacturing jobs have benefits, compared to 72 percent of jobs statewide.”

The turnover rate in manufacturing careers is 4.7 percent, compared to 8.1 percent across all jobs, Walker pointed out.

“Manufacturing is the place, and we need to do a better job of selling that, particularly to schools,” he said. “There is a tremendous need and opportunity out there, and it is only going to get bigger.”

The third and final area Walker indicated the state could assist manufacturing is in infrastructure.

“You need a good transportation system to get product from market,” he said. “That is why we invested $6.4 billion in the state’s transportation system this year.

“Whether you are a manufacturer, whether you are a cheese maker, or a dairy farmer, or anything else, you have got to have a good transportation system. And it has to be in all parts of the state of Wisconsin, not just around the big cities.”

In closing, Walker referenced a voluntary portal for employers to list job openings. Many of the 30,000 to 40,000 jobs listed weekly are manufacturing jobs.

“Consistently, we hear from manufacturers that one of the challenges is not that they don’t have jobs open, they do, the challenge is not having enough training to fill those jobs,” Walker said. “So we got people looking for work over here, and we got jobs over here.

“We need to do more to connect the dots, to make that connection.”

Following his remarks, Walker told the media gathered it is an exciting time to be a young person in Wisconsin, but also an exciting time as Governor, as he tours the state and learns success stories.

“Today is a good example, you have a great crowd here. You have some young people, you have some businesses,” he said. “It is similar to when I was earlier in the year was over at Cabela’s and we saw some of the students involved in the Gold Collar program, and saw the partnerships not just with Cabela’s but other businesses that were partnering with that as well.

“What I like about what you see at Southwest Tech, and you see it at other great technical colleges around the state, is a very real connection between the technical college and employers in that region. And I think that is the key to success.

“We can’t just have people going through courses, whether it is in our technical colleges or for that matter our University of Wisconsin system. We have got to have a focus on, what are the needs, what kind of perspective employees are employers looking for and how do we help make sure there are more?”

Electrical Power Distribution class gets attention

From host.madison.com: “Green Bay tech students get high — we’re talking five stories — for class photo” — Class picture day for most requires combs, nonclashing outfits and an aptitude for synchronized smiling. Then there’s the electrical power distribution class at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay.

Their picture day required hard hats, reflective vests, harnesses and spiked climbing boots. Leave your acrophobia at home.

Last Tuesday the group of 21 students plus instructor Dan Scheider and an aide shimmied up two telephone poles, installed some extra scaffolding, stood on horizontal bars that connect the poles and waited for the camera to click.

For them, hanging out more than five stories above ground is ho-hum.

“The guys are just fearless,” said Casey Fryda, school spokeswoman. “They were having a ball.”

Not so for the photographer. Taking the photo required Fryda rising to their level in a cherry picker. She had never been in a cherry picker. She was leery despite assurances it was a particularly safe cherry picker.

“I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t cut it in this program,” she said.

But Fryda rose to the challenge and snapped a photo quickly embraced by Facebook. It calls to mind the “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” photo of eight decades ago, in which workers sat eating lunch on a construction beam high above New York City looking nonchalant despite the altitude.

Fryda said the idea for the photo came to draw attention to the nine-month diploma program, the only one of its kind for utility-line workers in the state and one of a handful nationally.

It started in 1987 and provides nearly guaranteed employment after graduation as long as students are all right heading anywhere in the country — some get jobs close, some far — and don’t mind working in all weather at high altitude.

“You really can’t be afraid of heights and succeed in this industry,” Fryda said. “You either can do it or you can’t. You can’t fudge.”

Different students in the program had photos snapped in August of them tossing a football around while harnessed to telephone poles high above ground. The students reportedly completed a high percentage of passes from the heights, attracting the attention of utility companies and the Minnesota Vikings.

 

 

FVTC preparing farmers for the future

From fox11online.com: “Technology takes hold in agriculture” — GRAND CHUTE – The fall harvest is well underway.

And before many farmers even enter the field, they’re using technology to plot their strategy.

As combines roll through the farm fields of Northeast Wisconsin, many are guided by GPS. Not necessarily technology that’s new to the farming industry, but technology that has taken off in the last five years.

“It really depends on the grower, how progressive they are, but we are seeing huge leaps and bounds on the precision ag side of it,” said Brad Birzer of Larson Cooperative in New London.

Birzer should know. Precision farming technology is his specialty.

He’s testing planter row units for accuracy, the kind of technology used in the spring that produces results like this in the fall. The kind of technology being taught in the only program of its kind in the state at Fox Valley Technical College in Grand Chute.

“Precision ag is the bridge between the iron that you see behind me and the agronomists that help the farmers make their cropping decisions,” said Fox Valley Technical College Precision Ag Instructor Joe Sinkula.

As technology takes over more aspects of farming, students are getting a first-hand look at the future.

“It takes farming to the next level as far as I’m concerned and it helps the farmer to be more efficient,” said Shawn Wesener of Cleveland.

Birzer says the technology can range from just a few thousand dollars to $40,000 or more, but farmers will see the benefits in increased yields and greater efficiencies.

Birzer says most farmers are using at least some enhanced technology these days. And these students are getting hands on training for what is becoming a hands off industry.

The one-year precision agriculture degree program officially begins at Fox Valley Technical College in January.

NTC International students make a difference

From wausaudailyherald.com: “Making a Difference one yard at a time” — A group of Northcentral Technical College, NTC, international students cleared the leaves off a large lot at the intersection of North 32nd Avenue and Madonna Drive Saturday morning.

The students, hailing from several Central American and Caribbean nations, joked and laughed with each other as they raked and bagged the leaves from the yard of 56-year-old Margaret Duranceau. Health problems would have made the job near impossible for Duranceau, and she appreciated their efforts.

“They are one fantastic crew,” Duranceau said. “They should keep them here.”

The students were among the estimated 400-plus volunteers who turned up to rake the leaves of about 250 area residents for the Make a Difference Day efforts coordinated by the United Way of Marathon County.

“We had fabulous volunteer turnout,” said Shelly Kaiser, the director of the agency’s Volunteer Connection. “The weather cooperated. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. We had outstanding turnout.”

Kaiser said she didn’t know why so many people signed up to help their neighbors this year, but “our target is 300 volunteers,” she said.

One of the motivating factors for the NTC students is that they are required to volunteer in the community as part of the program that brought them to study in the United States, Scholarships for Education and Economic Development, or SEED. The program is designed to help low-income students from high-need countries to learn business, design projects and to go back to their countries to make a difference there.

Make a Difference Day offers a great opportunity for SEED students to work those required volunteer hours, but participation means more than that, said student Mariela Valdez, 19, of the Dominican Republic.

This was her second year of participating in the day, and she found last year that helping people, instead of working for programs, is gratifying.

“Doing it for people who need it, it’s like, wow, that’s awesome,” Valdez said. “We enjoy doing it. … We have fun.”

MATC, WAT Grant help Milwaukee make manufacturing progress

From jsonline.com: “Opinion: Milwaukee making progress on developing its manufacturing workforce” — By Tom Barrett, mayor of Milwaukee – Around the country, October is Manufacturing Month. It is a celebration of modern manufacturing, and it provides an opportunity for us to encourage people to look at careers in manufacturing.

Milwaukee’s regional economy relies on manufacturing more so than just about anywhere else in the United States. For everyone in our region manufacturing presents both opportunities and challenges. How will we create a skilled manufacturing workforce, and, at the same time, how do we spur economic development?

The 2013 Talent Shortage Survey, released by Milwaukee-based ManpowerGroup, cites skilled trades as the No. 1 hardest job to fill in the United States, and there is plenty of other evidence, both empirical and anecdotal, that we need well-prepared workers to keep our manufacturing economy humming.

A little over a year and a half ago, along with Milwaukee’s workforce partners, we created the Mayor’s Manufacturing Partnership. This initiative works directly with manufacturing employers to determine the skills needed for current open positions. From there, a collaboration is developed to create an employer-driven training program providing workers with specific skills tailored to a company’s needs. Employers commit to hire from the group who successfully complete the training. To date, there have been 12 employer-driven training programs completed for area manufacturers.

Local manufacturer Solaris Inc. makes medical compression garments, and that company has hired 13 individuals through this initiative. Solaris employee Nhy Pease is an example of how the Mayor’s Manufacturing Partnership directly connected an individual with a job. Pease tried for some time to find the right fit with a manufacturing company.

Then, through the HIRE Center/Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB), Pease began a four-month on-the-job training program at Solaris. Even though she already had some of the necessary skills, Solaris needed her to have job-specific training. A year and a half into her new career, she is successfully working for Solaris and was recently promoted. The wages she earns are sufficient to support a family.

The Mayor’s Manufacturing Partnership has upgraded the skills of nearly 500 workers, advancing their manufacturing careers through the Milwaukee Area Technical College Worker Advancement Training Grant. This is the same strategy championed by U.S. employers to grow the workforce, ManpowerGroup found in a national survey.

At the outset of the Mayor’s Manufacturing Partnership, the project partners, City of Milwaukee, MAWIB, Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP/BIG STEP) and MATC, set what we thought were ambitious goals of training 150 individuals and connecting 500 more people with employment or career pathways in manufacturing. We already have exceeded that: 178 area employers have either hired newly trained employees, benefited from employees with upgraded skills or have been connected with skilled unemployed individuals, totaling more than 800 workers impacted. There is a need for training funds to continue this momentum. We are off to a great start, but there is more work to be done.

With an aging workforce, employers and the workforce system need to work together to provide a pipeline of qualified workers. This is a critical task. Within a decade, industries that now account for 50% of Wisconsin’s gross domestic product will be looking for 60,000 more skilled workers than are projected to be available. We need to invest now in our workforce to protect our economy.

We are fortunate to have MAWIB, Milwaukee’s coordinating workforce entity, maximizing funds by developing and administering initiatives such as the Mayor’s Manufacturing Partnership and more than twenty other programs to create a skilled workforce. The key to the success of these efforts is a close working relationship with employers.

A prepared workforce is essential for growing companies. At the same time, we have far too many people in our city who are underemployed or unemployed. Making the right connections between employers and employees can set individuals, companies and our entire economy on a course for success.

I am optimistic about Milwaukee’s economic future, and manufacturing will be a big part of that. So let’s celebrate manufacturing this month and in Octobers for decades to come.

 

 

MPTC grad is first female cheese judge

From wisbusiness.com: “World Championship Cheese Contest adds first female assistant chief judge” — Masters Gallery Foods, Inc. proudly announced that Sandy Toney was selected as the new Assistant Chief Judge for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, the first woman to hold the position for the World Championship Cheese Contest since it began in 1957. Responsible for overseeing the contest, Assistant Chief Judges choose the technical expert judges and administer instructions for grading, cheese types and defects. “This is a terrific honor for Sandy. We couldn’t be happier for her,” said Jeff Gentine, the company’s co-owner and Executive Vice President. “She takes her craft very seriously, and it’s gratifying to see that recognized within our industry.”

Toney, Vice President of Corporate Quality and Product Development for Masters Gallery Foods, has been a licensed cheese grader for close to 20 years and has served as an expert technical judge for the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest and the World Championship Cheese Contest for nine years. She also serves on the FDA Advisory Board. Toney holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Silver Lake College and an associate degree in food science from Moraine Park Technical College. 

 

 

NWTC proposes on campus student housing

From wbay.com: “NWTC proposes to build first on campus student housing” — Green Bay –Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is looking to expand. The school and developer explain what could be a first for the Green Bay campus.

“There will be a workout facility. There will be a study area. There will be an area where (they) can even all commune and watch Packer games,” said Jim DeLeers of DeLeers Construction in De Pere.

DeLeers is developing NWTC’s first on campus housing. He showed us preliminary drawings of the four-story, privately funded and managed facility.

“There will be 100 units, approximately 200 beds in the facility, the design itself, the colors, and the brick and mortar’s design is designed specifically not to look like traditional apartment style housing,” says DeLeers.

It’s proposed to be located on the southeast corner of the campus.

College leaders say it’s what students asked for in a recent survey, particularly international students.

Only 16 of the 6,000 students on the Green Bay campus are studying from outside the country.

“A student comes here from another country, has no place to live that’s nearby, has no means of transportation, it’s a little bit discouraging to think about coming to Green Bay and not being able to be close to one’s campus,” says Vice-President for College Advancement Karen Smits.

Rahmi Arikan, 24, is a third year student from Turkey. He says he wished on campus housing was available when he arrived. He adds dorms are the first step to recruit more international students, as it would be one less thing to worry about while adjusting to a new school and culture.

“The housing is going to be a big impact to choose NWTC because of when they come over here, they have to walk through everything by themselves without any help,” says Arikan.

The school says it plans to open the student housing the fall of 2014.

NWTC is inviting residential and business neighbors to an informational meeting from 6-7 p.m. in room SC128 on Tuesday, October 29.

Health occupations class gives dual credit

From dailyunion.com: “Jefferson High health occupations class gives dual credit with MATC” — JEFFERSON — Longtime Jefferson High School teacher Carolyn Behrens started the Jefferson High School health occupations class several years ago as a pipeline to the Certified Nursing Assistant program.

The program has expanded since teacher Kimberly Hart-Shatswell took it over eight years ago, and now Hart-Shatswell has teamed up with Madison Area Technical College to offer the course for dual credit for both the high school and MATC.

In addition, Hart-Shatswell is putting together a new course on medical terminology that will be offered next semester as an advanced standing class, and she’s working on a dual-credit ar rangement for that class as well.

The teacher said that when she found out about the opportunity to enter into a dual-credit arrangement with MATC, known as Madison College, she signed up for summer training and submitted her course profile, to make sure it meets MATC’s requirements.

Jefferson High School junior Jessica Milbrath said that the dual credit course will help set her on her way in her chosen career.

Born two months premature, she always has been interested in healthcare and decided at a fairly young age that she wanted to help others as others had helped give her a healthy start in life.

“I want to be an OB nurse,” the student said. “I already volunteer at the hospital, which I’ve done for the past three years now.”

She said her experience working at the hospital has only solidified her desire to work in healthcare, particularly in obstetrics.

“I have a lot of fun up there and I have met some great people through the hospital,” Milbrath said.

The junior said it’s good to be able to get some of the prerequisites for her future studies out of the way while still in high school, “and it’s still free through the local school district.”

Next year, she said, she plans to take medical terminology and enter Certified Nursing Assistant training. From there, she hopes to go on to nursing school.

Senior Amanda Watts said she hopes to become a nurse as well, with the idea of eventually entering pediatrics.

She said the dual-credit course is boosting her resume while she’s still in high school and she knows if she continues with MATC or the University of Wisconsin System, she will already have credits in her chosen field.

Right now, she’s looking at attending Rasmussen College in Wausau, so she’s not sure how credits obtained in high school would transfer to that program, but it should at least give her a background in the basics.

“I always kind of wanted to be a doctor, since about second grade,” she said.

She noted that the class has given students valuable hands-on experience, as well as a lot of information about the field. For some, she said, that’s led them to decide to go in a different direction, but the class has strengthened her feeling that she wants to enter medicine.

Watts, too, hopes to take the medical terminology class next semester and to enter Certified Nursing Assistant training as a first step toward working in the medical field.

Hart-Shatswell said that she proposed the new medical terminology class last year. Now that Jefferson High School has a Latin program, she thought her new class, in combination with the anatomy and physiology class the school already offers, would be a good fit for students planning to enter the medical field.

“The school board and administration have been really supportive of these efforts,” Hart-Shatswell said.

The teacher is in her eighth year at Jefferson High School. She actually worked as a pharmacy technician for 15 years before entering education. She said healthcare is an important field, and people with medical training at any level are always in demand.

“There are a wide variety of jobs available in the field, and not all of them involve direct patient care,” she said, listing medical illustrators, biomedical engineers, hospital architects and pharmacists as other options.

“What we’re doing here at Jefferson High School is giving students a good background to enter one of these fields, and even if they choose to go in another direction, they’re getting good information,” she said.

“Health is always going to be part of people’s lives.”

New FVTC medical training center dedicated

From wearegreenbay.com: “New FVTC medical training center dedicated” — Fox Valley Technical College held a ceremony Wednesday afternoon to officially dedicate the campus’ health simulation and technology center.

The $66 million facility allows students in numerous medical fields to perform real-life simulations in a realistic hospital setting. The center is the state’s only virtual hospital training center, designed to integrate numerous medical fields into one facility.

The ceremony today honored the completion of the building, as well as the people who made it all happen.

“This building wouldn’t exist without our taxpayers,” Human Patient Simulation Coordinator Bob Sternhagen says,”and they approved the referendum by a major large majority and we’re very happy they did that so we’re going to give them the best possible health care providers we can with this facility.”

The center includes fourteen human simulators, a new ambulance simulator, and a full ER .  

IT grant to aid Southwest Tech

From hispanicbusiness.com: “IT grant to aid Southwest Tech” — FENNIMORE, Wis. – Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is sharing part of a $23.1 million grant by the U.S. Department of Labor designed to address the emerging needs in the information technology sector.

Southwest Tech is one of 16 technical colleges in the state to benefit. It will receive $797,805 total for the next four years.

The $23.1 million applies to the third installment of a multi- year, nearly $2 billion federal initiative designed to increase community college credential attainment in high-priority economic sectors.

According to Barb Tucker, Southwest Tech’s director of institutional advancement, the grant is significant because it will enable all the technical colleges to cohesively establish common core computer literacy competencies for college success.

“This grant is also important because it enables the development of IT-related training along a career pathway,” she said. “Meaning that the training provided will be offered in training segments aligned with jobs within an IT-related industry, from entry level to advanced.”

Basic computer skill training will be offered within the technical college outreach sites, including Platteville, as well as the job center locations. It will allow potential students, Trade Adjustment Assistance recipients, Workforce Investment Act recipients, veterans and the general public to increase computer literacy.

Southwest Tech plans to develop career pathway training in supply chain management that will include a short-term logistics certificate and a two-year associate degree in supply chain management.

Tucker said that such training does not exist in southwest Wisconsin. Supply chain management is the management of the flow of goods. It includes the movement and storage of raw materials, work- in-process inventory and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption.

Drew Petersen, Wisconsin Technical College System Board president, said this latest grant will allow the technical colleges to enhance and expand career pathways not only within “cutting- edge” information technology programs but also within other crucial sectors, including health care and manufacturing, that increasingly require workers with advanced information technology competencies.

“Our programs are uniquely industry-driven, and these funds will allow us to scale innovation in response to needs identified by our employer partners in the information technology space,” Petersen said.

Kleefisch talks about women in manufacturing

From weau.com: “Lt. Gov. Kleefisch talks women in manufacturing” — The state’s lieutenant governor was in Eau Claire Tuesday to talk about women in manufacturing.

Republican Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch moderated the “Dispelling the Myths of Manufacturing” event Tuesday afternoon at the Chippewa Valley Technical College.

The event, which was hosted by the Wisconsin Gold Collar Careers Manufacturing Works Group, brought together a panel of leaders in manufacturing to discuss women finding success in the manufacturing field.

Kleefisch says “…and today we got to meet the future of manufacturing, which was pretty cool.”

The panel included Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce Foundation President Jim Morgan, GenMet President Mary Isbister, and Generac COO Dawn Tabat.

 

Madison College instructor comments on speed limit

From wrn.com: “Safer vehicles offset higher speed limit” — It’s not legal to drive 70 miles an hour, as the bill awaits Senate approval. The state Assembly has already given the green light to a 70 mph speed limit, but its fate is uncertain in the Senate as opponents lobby against the measure.

Brian Landers is a traffic law and traffic crash investigation instructor at Madison College. He doesn’t see a problem with the higher posted limit, saying surrounding states have equal or higher speed limits. ”I don’t think that the increase of 5 mph is going to see any large increase in fatal crashes in Wisconsin. I think that that’s easily offset not only through the advancements in technology in vehicles, but also through the education and enforcement of law enforcement.”

Landers points to higher vehicle safety standards, including better seat-belts, blind spot monitoring, air bags, breaking systems, and other improvements, as contributing factors in a reduction of fatal crashes nationally and statewide.

Green Bay-based Schneider National — the nation’s largest trucking company — has safety and fuel efficiency concerns. Landers says 70 is a maximum speed; it’s not mandatory. ”Depending upon your driving habits, and depending upon the road conditions and the weather conditions … you know, no one is forcing you to go 70 mph. So, if Schneider National or if any motorist out there feels like 65 is their safe limit, then they can still do 65 miles an hour.”

The bill’s author — state Representative Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc) — says many motorists are already driving faster than the current 65 mph limit and it makes sense that the legal speed is adjusted accordingly.

Landers says whether a motorist is driving 10 miles an hour or 70, he needs to be sober, buckle up, and practice safe driving skills, which means regardless of the legal speed limit, a driver must slow down if conditions warrant.

 

LTC manufacturing lab on tour

From iwantthenews.com: “Manufacturing Mobile Lab to visit High School” — Lakeshore Technical College will celebrate Wisconsin Manufacturing Month by conducting a two-week public tour of its Advanced Manufacturing Mobile Lab to local high schools and job centers in October.

Anyone interested in learning more about today’s high tech and high demand careers in manufacturing will have an opportunity to talk to LTC staff and participate in demonstrations of the same type of equipment that manufacturers use on a daily basis.

The Advanced Manufacturing Mobile Lab will visit Kiel High School on Oct. 24 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and will also make six other stops in Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties in the last half of October for the public to learn more about today’s high tech and high demand careers in manufacturing.

Leadership class visits Moraine Park Tech College

From wiscnews.com: “LBD class focuses on education” — In October, Leadership Beaver Dam class of 2013-2014 had its Education Day. They toured the Beaver Dam Middle School, High School and Moraine Park Technical College.

Presenters for the day included Superintendent Steve Vessey. He shared with LBD the importance of testing at the schools to determine students’ progress in order to maximize their opportunities to learn during the school year. He also told the group that evaluation of teachers and setting goals are important components for the school system learning process. In addition he shared the school’s concern for helping students achieve to their potential through advanced placement classes which students can take in order to receive college credits.

Later that morning Leadership Beaver Dam visited the Beaver Dam Middle School where they observed students responding to questions in a multi-media classroom with the use of a remote. LBD also visited the Read 180 lab, which works on reading development and comprehension. In the lab students meet in a small group, do independent reading and work with computers. One student commented that she enjoyed reading 180, because it had helped her increase her scores on reading tests.

LBD’s last stop at the middle school was in the library where we heard from Jenny Vinz the library media specialist and Beth Plier the reading specialist, who talked about how the school is using Barnes and Nobles’ digital reading device “The Nook” to help students with reading skills. Their work has been so successful, they will be presenting at a national education conference in Minnesota in November.

After the middle school tour, LBD went to the high school where they visited Trends class which teaches students about writing, filming, editing and directing videos that tell a story. They also looked in on an engineering class and an honors chemistry class. This year’s LBD class is impressed with the quality of education and the technology being used Beaver Dam’s public schools.

During lunch LBD heard from the principal of St. Stephen’s Elementary and Middle School, Roger Fenner. He told the group that St. Stephen’s School was established in 1886 and currently has nine teachers who work with their 144 students.

LBD finished the day at Moraine Park Technical College, where they toured the welding, Mercury Marine and nursing classrooms. Campus coordinator Karen Coley and Matt Hurtienne, dean of the Beaver Dam Campus, shared with the group that Moraine Park continues to revise their classes based on the needs of employers.

Before finishing the tour the LBD’s class also saw GED classrooms as well as a live time video conferencing room. MPTC’s instructor Mary Vogel-Rauscher shared her passion for preparing students at MPTC to enter the workforce.

Instructor for Leadership Beaver Dam, Kay Stellpfulg, finished off the afternoon by helping the group further process projects that the group will need to develop and carry out in the coming year.

 

Insurance agents donate to CVTC

From piercecountyherald.com: “Agency backs CVTC” — Kris Flock, along with some of his staff from The Service Agency in Ellsworth, as part of the Independent Insurance Agents of Western Wisconsin (IIAWW), presented a check for $2,459.25 to Marcy Bruflat of Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) for the purchase of equipment for their firefighter training program. CVTC trains 53 departments within their district, including Ellsworth and the surrounding areas.

The donation will be used for the purchase of water rescue suits and rescue rope. The suits protect the rescuers, preventing drowning and hypothermia. IIAWW and CVTC have enjoyed this partnership benefitting the entire Western Wisconsin area since 2008. That first contribution of $4,000 was used for the purchase of a thermal imaging camera, used to locate victims and fire hotspots.

Other purchases made possible through IIAWW contributions include: Rapid Intervention Team Pack (RIT) – a self-contained breathing apparatus, rescue tools and rescue rope; Mannequin Family – a family of three adults and one baby used for rescue training; Student/Instructor Headsets – used for communication in high-noise situations; Folding Attic Ladder/Gate Valve/Spanner Wrenches – miscellaneous tools needed for class. Flock noted, “Since 2008, IIAWW has contributed over $17,000 to the CVTC Firefighter Training Program. This has been a great opportunity for The Service Agency to impact an organization benefitting all of our communities, increasing safety and minimizing loss.”

Enrollment in NWTC manufacturing classes on the rise

From greenbaypressgazette.com: “Alliance works to change state’s manufacturing image, increase education” — When Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s 44-foot mobile CNC lab made an appearance at Bonduel High School, the pieces fell into place for junior Race McClone.

McClone, 16, is planning a career in manufacturing. If he becomes a mechanical engineer and welder as he proposes, it will be another in an increasing number of successes for NEW Manufacturing Alliance, NWTC and other supporters of manufacturing.

October is Manufacturing Month in Wisconsin, and that’s more than just another in a rotisserie of months with special names. Indiana and Wisconsin regularly trade positions as the top manufacturing states in the nation. Statewide, 16.1 percent of Wisconsin jobs are manufacturing related. In the 14-county NEW North region, one in every four jobs is in manufacturing.

“That is one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing in the country,” said Ann Franz, NEW Manufacturing Alliance coordinator.

The Alliance was founded in 2006 to foster collaboration between manufacturers and educators in the promotion of manufacturing and development of a future workforce.

The Manufacturing Institute, affiliated with the National Association of Manufacturers, says that workforce is growing older at a greater rate than the economy as a whole, and the lack of qualified workers is beginning to impact manufacturers’ ability to compete in the global market. It says schools are not equipping students with the appropriate skills and in the necessary disciplines to contribute to the manufacturing economy.

The Institute says U.S. schools are not producing enough engineers, and the manufacturing workforce is growing older and is not as well educated as other sectors.

The Alliance is working to change that in Northeastern Wisconsin. It arranges tours of manufacturing plants — it sponsored 11 visits for students and teachers in October — and sends manufacturing representatives into classrooms. It is developing manufacturing-related math problems for use in middle schools, provided $20,000 in college scholarships last year, publishes a magazine, produces videos and hosts the annual Manufacturing First Expo & Conference, to which 200 students are invited.

Franz’s salary is paid by the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, which also helped pay for creation of NWTC’s Computer Integrated Manufacturing mobile lab. Much of the rest of the work is done by volunteers on five Alliance task forces.

Manufacturing jobs pay well, but an enduring image of workers standing on assembly lines doing the same things over and over again is discouraging to digital-age students, not to mention their parents. It doesn’t help that the image is totally inaccurate.

Nels Lawrence, technology education instructor at Kaukauna High School, said plant tours dispel notions of manufacturing as “dumb, dull and dirty.”

Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition’s 2012-13 Fox Valley Wage & Benefits Study found that intermediate-level electrical engineers in Brown County earned an average $62,766 per year and electrical engineers at Fox Valley companies earned an average annual wage of $71,109. Again, the number of responding companies was not large (six in one case, seven in the other) and the respondents were self-selected. The average wage for senior electrical engineers was $91,028.

“One employer said to me, ‘You want to recruit kids. Take a look at what’s parked out in are parking lot,’” Lawrence said.

Franz and Lawrence said manufacturers are desperate to grow the workforce.

“More and more human resources directors are contacting me directly, looking to contact 16- and 17-year-olds,” Lawrence said. “If I had more students, I could find more openings.”

Franz said the increase in engagement between employers and schools is significant. Schools are calling the alliance — a 180-degree turnaround from seven years ago — and asking how they can partner.

As a sign of progress, Franz said NWTC graduated 19 welders in 2000, 28 welders in 2005 and 119 welders in 2010. It has more than 200 people enrolled in welding classes now, and last year enrollment in its manufacturing classes was up 19 percent.

Welding is just a tiny slice of manufacturing jobs, though in considerable demand in the region. Surveys by NWTC also identified electrical engineers, among others, in high demand.

“The message is resonating,” Franz said. “NWTC graduates more manufacturing degree holders than any other technical college in the state.”

Bonduel High School’s McClone had taken computer-aided-design and civil engineering classes in tech ed, but the arrival of NWTC’s mobile lab took his interest to a new level. The school also has a new welding lab.

“I’m really interested in the CNC program. If Bonduel didn’t have the trailer here, I probably wouldn’t have known about the CNC at all,” he said, talking on his cellphone from the lab.

He said Bonduel’s tech ed teachers themselves are enthusiastic about manufacturing, and promotional efforts are beginning to make an impact.

“People are starting to see this as a great opportunity,” he said. “There are all kinds of jobs. It can be pretty much anything.”

 

New jail administrator is Nicolet College grad

From marshfieldnewsherald.com: “Marathon County names new jail administrator” — WAUSAU — After months of sharp criticism and controversy surrounding operations at the Marathon County Jail, officials have named a new leader to complement changes already in motion at the facility.

Sandra La Du-Ives, who currently serves as jail administrator at the Oneida County Jail, will begin her new role Dec. 8; she was chosen from a pool of nearly 30 applicants from across the country. Marathon County Sheriff Scott Parks said the change in leadership is part of an overall transformation at the facility, which has undergone intense scrutiny since a March 27 attack on two corrections officers.

“We laid out our expectations for each applicant, and Sandra stood out among the rest,” Parks said. “She understands there is a great deal of work to be done and wants to be a part of that process.”

La Du-Ives was named jail administrator in Oneida County in April after the death of 19-year veteran Kaye Juel. She is a graduate of Nicolet Area Technical College and served as the assistant jail administrator for four years prior to her promotion. La Du-Ives also worked as a corrections officer for Oneida County for nine years. Efforts to reach La Du-Ives were not successful Friday.

A report issued in July by a panel of five community leaders outlined a host of deep-rooted problems at the jail — many which have already been addressed — and recommended massive changes to jail procedures and training. A five-member citizen review panel tasked with identifying the jail’s failings and recommending solutions issued the report; the panel found dozens of issues that need to be corrected and suggested changes that could lead to the termination of employees who do not rise to meet new performance expectations.

Major changes underway

Chief Deputy Chad Billeb said officials have embraced the panel’s recommendations and made immediate changes to procedures at the jail. The jail intercom system, once broken, is now back online and working properly; the central housing control unit, which once stood empty after a major communications system failure, is staffed 24 hours a day after the system was repaired. More than 10 cameras have been added to eliminate blind spots, and many of the more than 100 existing cameras were upgraded, Billeb said.

Officials also have addressed concerns by the panel and repeated concerns by jail inspectors about unacceptably low staffing levels at the facility. Two new corrections officers have been hired since the report was released, and two more will be named in the coming weeks, Billeb said, bringing the number of jail staff members up to the recommended level of 48. That number includes a jail administrator, six lieutenants and 41 corrections officers.

“The report gave us a road map of where we need to go,” Billeb said. “We shared that road map with our job candidates, including Sandra, so she knows exactly what our expectations will be.”

Not every applicant was quite so interested in a job that will entail fighting overcrowding and other infrastructure issues; three candidates dropped out after receiving the same information, Parks said.

Sheriff’s officials are enthusiastic about two programs they believe will significantly reduce the population in a facility that is consistently filled beyond its intended capacity of 279. On Friday morning, the jail housed 297 inmates; an additional 47 inmates were housed at jails in Lincoln and Shawano counties, according to jail reports.

The Marathon County Board on Tuesday passed a resolution that will allow nonviolent offenders to earn one day of early release for every 12 hours worked in community service at a variety of local agencies. The county’s five circuit court judges signed off on the program Thursday, Billeb said. That program will begin Nov. 1.

The second proposal, which mimics programs in Dane and Walworth counties, would allow inmates who qualify for Huber release to avoid sitting in jail altogether. Instead, inmates would do their time in their homes while monitored electronically. Only nonviolent offenders and people who live and work in areas with cellphone reception would qualify for the program, Billeb said.

For both programs, only inmates already eligible for Huber will be considered to participate. The Huber law allows inmates who have been sentenced to leave the jail to work or search for work, attend school and care for their children for up to 12 hours each day; Huber inmates pay a fee of $17 per day to participate in the program.

An ongoing process

Officials say they are committed to making the changes they know are necessary to create an environment at the jail that is safe for workers and for inmates. Hiring a new administrator from outside the county will allow for a fresh perspective during the rebuilding process.

“Sometimes when you look in the mirror, you don’t always have the clearest view of yourself,” Parks said. “This will provide us the opportunity to look at ourselves clearly and without bias.”

Both Parks and Billeb praised the efforts of Paul Mergendahl, the superintendent at the Marathon County juvenile detention facility, who has served as interim administrator since the April 17 resignation of former administrator Bob Dickman. Mergandahl will continue in his role as interim administrator until La Du-Ives assumes her new position.

“Paul set the groundwork for these changes to be made,” Billeb said.

La Du-Ives was interviewed by a group of six people who reviewed each applicant’s educational background, skills and history. Mount View Care Center Administrator Lori Koeppel, Marathon County Deputy Administrator Deb Hager, jail inspector Denise Ellis and Marathon County Board member Matt Hildebrandt assisted Billeb and Parks in choosing their top candidate.

The brutal assault that sparked the controversy surrounding jail procedures left officer Julie Christensen, 36, critically injured. She last was reported in the intensive care unit at Aspirus Wausau Hospital in April, and her family has requested no further updates be given about her condition. Officer Denney Woodward also was injured in the attack.

Fredrick Morris, 20, of Wausau has been charged in connection with the incident.

Koeppel, along with Rothschild Police Chief Bill Schremp, Intercity State Bank President Randy Balk, LandArt owner Paul Jones and Daily Herald Media General Manager Michael Beck all serve on the panel. Members plan to meet with Billeb, Parks and Du-Ives for a progress review in December.

Grant helps minority student program

From fox11online.com: “Grant helps minority student program” — GRAND CHUTE – Fox Valley Technical College is making a difference for some of its minority students.

The school recently formed a brother-to-brother program designed to help African American men finish college.

The program just received $105,000 from a Madison organization.

Program leaders say it’s all about helping each other through study groups and progress meetings.

“Over the years, studies have been done to show that African American male students have the lowest retention rate in college and completion rate, so what this grant aimed to do is to guide the students, and to remove, hopefully, some of the obstacles out of their way,” said Rayon Brown, FVTC minority student services.

Fox Valley Tech says recent rates show 20 to 25 percent of these students graduate from the school.

There are currently 94 African American men enrolled this semester. 25 of them are in the program.

Partnership between WITC and Bosch Packaging

From canadianmanufacturing.com: “Bridging the Skills Gap” — New Richmond, WI—A new partnership has been forged between industry and education, with Bosch Packaging Technology, Inc., and Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC), both in New Richmond, Wisconsin forming a joint apprenticeship venture.

“We’ve been working together on this project since last spring,” says Nancy Cerritos, WITC academic dean of trade and technology. “Bosch is very proactive and realizes it will lose a significant portion of its skilled work force in New Richmond and Shell Lake over the next five to seven years. They wanted to create apprenticeships – which we have available and can develop — to create a better skilled work force for the future.”

Adds Mark Hanson, manager, continuous improvement coordination and technical functions at Bosch Packaging Technology: “We tried to hire local workers, but it’s not a densely populated area, and we have a need for highly skilled workers, so we had to come up with a new approach.

“By utilizing our strong relationship with WITC and the state we were able to custom-design a program that gives us the skilled workers we need.”

The program includes electro-mechanical technician and machinist apprentices. The electro-mechanic apprenticeship—the combination of an electrician and mechanic—is the first of its kind in the state and is now considered a new trade in Wisconsin.

Two WITC programs participate in this flagship effort: the Automated Packaging Systems program and theMachine Tooling Technics program, as these two WITC programs are best represented in the work at Packaging Technology.

The opportunity to become an apprentice was opened to Bosch employees, and four stepped up. Machinist apprentices are Josh Marquand and Brant Couch. Electro mechanical technician apprentices enrolled in the Automated Packaging Systems program are Philip Taylor and Paul Petty. These four apprentices will complete their respective program over a four or five year time span, while also working at Bosch.

What makes the program unique is what the participant receives at the completion of the apprenticeship – five years for an electro-mechanical technician and four years for a machinist – an Associate’s degree in technical studies, a technical diploma and a State of Wisconsin Certificate of Apprenticeship, commonly known as a journeyman card. A traditional apprenticeship usually results in only the journeyman card.

Upon acceptance in the program, the apprentice signs a contract with the State of Wisconsin that they will meet the obligations required for a journeyman card. During the apprenticeship, Bosch is responsible for ensuring the apprentices meet the minimum requirements, as well as assigning a shop-floor trainer and mentor to each apprentice.

The apprenticeship program works very closely with Wisconsin’s Workforce Development Department through Travis Ludvigson, Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards, who produced the contract the apprentices signed. At WITC, Randy Deli, divisional dean of trade and technology, coordinates the college’s apprenticeship opportunities.

Once accepted in the program, apprentices receive a salary and benefits for their 40-hour-a-week schedule, during which they split time between on-the-job-training and classroom work. In addition, the program covers the cost for tuition and tools needed for coursework. Outside of the program, the normal curriculum requires classroom attendance for 30 hours a week, leaving little time for job training.

“This was a great opportunity for me,” says Taylor, one of the new apprentices. “It’s a perfect scenario, I get to continue working at Bosch, and in five years I’ll have a degree, diploma and journeyman card that will benefit my career and family.”