From biztimes.com: “Fill the skills gap” — by Cary Silverstein – A question constantly asked by business people and the unemployed is: “What are we doing to close the skillset gap in Wisconsin?”
The answer lies in businesses and the community getting together to solve this “gap.” According to Competitive Wisconsin Inc.’s Be Bold 2 study by ManpowerGroup, the unmet demand for metal workers, including welders, is expected to reach 7,101 by 2016. Should these positions remain unfilled, it is estimated that state and local government lost revenues could amount to $265,410,915 over a 10-year job lifecycle.
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Wisconsin, a non-profit 501(c)(3) established more than 40 years ago, has developed a new generation training solution that addresses the growing skilled worker shortage in the greater Milwaukee, Wausau, Fox Valley and Green Bay regions. It is called the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.
The HCCW has developed this partnership with Miller Electric Mfg. Co., Monarch Corp., Joy Global, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, technical colleges, government agencies and private foundations with the intent of solving the critical shortage of skilled welders in Wisconsin. Together, they have created a unique employer-approved education and training program, which addresses this shortage in a manner that benefits the underserved low to moderate income (LMI) workers who are often unemployed/underemployed and who are often constituents of the HCCW. This program is not exclusive to any ethnicity, and is open to any state resident.
This HCCW Training Initiative is an anti-poverty solution that connects unemployed and under employed workers with accredited welding skills development and training at no cost to trainees. This program offers a pathway to a higher paying career in welding at an accelerated pace. The median starting pay for skilled welding positions is $35,450 a year. This is a paid training program that takes up to 16 weeks to complete. The participants are immediately job eligible upon completion of the program. This is followed by ongoing on-the-job training to enhance their newly acquired skills.
This initiative differentiates itself by including essential life skills training for participants, including time management and punctuality, critical thinking and problem solving, financial education and communication skills. This program is designed to supply workforce-ready candidates who are able to step into entry-level welding positions. Participants will complete essential life skills training in a mentorship-based support group setting before advancing to the employer-approved welder training course provided by the tech colleges.
What makes this program different?
Solving the skilled welder shortage isn’t just providing technical training. A true solution involves addressing those issues (substance abuse and a lack of essential life skills) which ultimately disqualify someone from employment. This unique program has three primary components: a support system program with trainee mentorship, essential life skills training and technical skills training via technical college partners.
The HCCW provides employer-approved essential life skills training to each candidate including:
- Time management and punctuality
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- First impressions/building relationships
- Computer literacy
- Maintaining a household budget
- Communication skills (may include English language instruction)
Technical training is provided by area technical colleges via an employer-approved training curriculum. The 14 to 16 week curriculum includes basic welding, blueprint reading and weld symbols, math, and manufacturing techniques.
Projected results of the initiative
This initiative produces an individual that is responsible, punctual, accountable and reliable, with a strong work ethic and a drive to succeed. These candidates are ready to enter the job market with all the skills necessary for entry level welding positions. The technical college credentials earned in this program are transferable and can be used to attain further, more complex welding credentials. This initiative simplifies and eases the rigors of the traditional hiring process, which permits the employers to review a candidate’s metrics and a trainee’s video profile. Also, they can hire an employee with a proven track record, worthy of further training investment.
The HCCW Training Initiative is a real solution to the shortage of skilled welders. By providing essential life skills and technical training, candidates are able to obtain well-paying jobs. This initiative facilitates upward economic mobility for the LMI constituents served by the program. Once employed in an entry level position, these new employees have the opportunity for further employer training and tuition reimbursement programs. The result is they strengthen themselves and their employers through the adoption of life-long earning skills. The dual nature of this program will help the unemployed/underemployed while providing sorely needed skilled workers, keeping Wisconsin’s manufacturers strong. This training initiative recently received national recognition and substantial funding by the American Welding Society after their review of the program. The HCCW Training Initiative is now considered to be the top AWS skills development program in the nation.
The next step
If this pilot project proves successful, we as business communities should duplicate it across the board in our state. Closing the skillset gap in this and other vocational areas will strengthen our economy and bring new jobs to our communities, while reducing unemployment in areas where few opportunities exist. The resources, both educational and technical, exist in our community. We need to leverage these resources and provide the unemployed with new skills so they can rejoin the workforce and provide a better standard of living for themselves and their families.
The HCCW says its partners report that in the Racine-Kenosha manufacturing sector there are more than 1,000 skilled worker vacancies. Filling the local manufacturing sector’s jobs would contribute to the state and local economy year after year.
Companies interested in joining this program should contact the Hispanic Chamber at skillstraining@HCCW.org.
Medical College of Wisconsin to open summer 2016
July 25, 2013
From marshfieldnewsherald.com: “Medical College of Wisconsin to open summer 2016” — By Katie Hoffman – The Medical College of Wisconsin will open its central Wisconsin campus in 2016, one year after the Green Bay campus opens, the college announced today, and Wausau-area residents could see students working in clinics as soon as 2015.
Officials from the college said the bigger area in central Wisconsin lends itself to more planning time before opening.
The medical school will make its home at Aspirus Wausau Hospital and Northcentral Technical College for administrative and classroom use.
Students from the Milwaukee and Green Bay campuses could complete clinical rotations at the facilities in Green Bay and central Wisconsin before the 2016 central Wisconsin start date. Student clinical work will take place at a variety of facilities in the area, including Ministry Health Care, Marshfield Clinic, Riverview Hospital and Aspirus.
John Raymond Sr., president and CEO of the medical college, said it’s important for local residents to see students in a clinical setting before the Wausau site opens.
“It shows a presence and a commitment to the community,” he said.
Raymond said he expects the first central Wisconsin graduating class to be about 15 to 25 students; they will then go on to complete their residency at a local clinic or hospital. Students will graduate from the three-year program with a general medical degree and are then free to choose a specialty during residency.
“We are trying to create in central Wisconsin destination residencies,” Raymond said. “We would like to have more family residencies, emergency residencies so when students graduate, they will have options to continue right in central Wisconsin.”
The education program addresses the need for providers in underserved communities across Wisconsin and uses a teaching model in which students receive core basic science and clinical experience in the community, teaching with other practitioners and encouraging students to practice in the communities where they train.
Faculty members from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, University of Wisconsin Marathon County and Northcentral Technical College also will be involved in the college.
Lori Weyers, president of NTC, said the school is excited to partner with the medical college.
“It is a wonderful opportunity to have unique learning experiences with medical college students,” she said.
Medical College officials plan to select a dean for each campus this fall, and advisory boards have been established to guide the programs. Student recruitment will begin in spring 2014.
Green Bay’s new fire chief is tech college grad
January 4, 2012
From greenbaypressgazette.com: “Green Bay’s new fire chief to be sworn in Thursday” — Rob Goplin will be sworn in Thursday as chief of the Green Bay Fire Department.
He succeeds Jeff Roemer, who announced last year that he would step down Dec. 31 to return full-time to his Menasha fire-consulting business.
Goplin joined the department in 1997 and rose quickly through the ranks. He has been assistant chief since 2008.
Goplin, 37, was raised in Pigeon Falls in western Wisconsin. He studied at Madison Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He was one of two internal applicants to succeed Roemer. Capt. Sam Al-Saadi applied, but later withdrew his application.
The swearing–in will be at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, Fire Department spokesman Nick Craig said.
Wisconsin Technical College News 