Boscobel High School offers course options for college-bound students

From swnews4u.com: “Boscobel High School offers course options for college-bound students” — By Tricia Hill – Boscobel High School faculty have been working on helping their students in grades 9-12 prepare for college by giving students the opportunity to participate in transcripted, articulated and Advance Placement (AP) courses. Currently, they are offering 14 credits of transcripted courses, which means they can be added to their college transcripts; six credits of college board-certified courses and three credits of articulated courses.

“We encourage our students to take these courses,” said guidance counselor Rhonda Scallon.

The transcripted courses include Accounting, Computer Applications, Speech, Vocational English, and Theme Writing. This is the first year that Theme Writing and Speech have been an option for seniors to take as transcripted courses. The students are encouraged to take these courses not only by the faculty, but also by some of the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College faculty.

“When a student decides to take the course, faculty from Southwest Tech come and talk to the students so they have an idea on what to expect,” Scallon said.

Once a student enters into the transcripted courses, they will be taking a course that they can add to their college transcripts. However, if a student starts taking a transcripted course and their grade seems to be dropping, they have the opportunity to not continue it as a transcripted course, but they must remain taking the course at the high school.

There is currently only one option available to students interested in taking an articulated course, which is a Southwest Tech math course. Students can only use the credits earned by taking this class if they plan to attend Southwest Tech. When taking an articulated course, the student earns a certificate of completion instead of credits added to their college transcript. However, in order to earn the certificate, the student has to earn a B or higher at the completion of the course.

Boscobel also offers some AP courses to their students, such as AP Biology and Advanced Urban History. Boscobel hopes to some day add AP Psychology to the list. Come this May, Boscobel will have nine of their students partaking in the AP exam so see what they have learned.

“The students in AP classes are working during the summer on course work,” Scallon said.

Having these options for Boscobel High School students is a great asset if students take advantage of the situation, according to Scallon. If the students participate and work hard in these programs, they will be given a head start at courses that will be expected of them in college, get a taste of college AP work, see how rigorous the class work can be, and best of all, the classes are free for the students if they take them while in high school.

“As of right now there are no disadvantages to the programs,” Scallon said. “I feel we are setting up the ground work with other colleges by having our students take part in these programs.”

Some students may have concerns if the college they plan to attend will accept credits from Southwest Tech. So the teachers have introduced them to a website called Transfer Wizard, where the students are able to go and see if their college accepts credits from Southwest Tech.

Southwest Tech health clinic opens in Fennimore

From lacrosstribune.com: “Southwest Tech, PdC Memorial open Fennimore Clinic” — Prairie du Chien Memorial Health Clinic-Fennimore opened Monday in the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College campus’ Health Sciences building.

Nurse practitioner Peggy Barton will serve as the clinic’s primary provider. Barton has worked 32 years in nursing and has 19 years of experience as a nurse practitioner, certified in women’s health and family care, with an interest in diabetes.

Primary care services offered at the new clinic include annual health and wellness visits, health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment, general consultation and referral.

Dental services and behavioral health services will be added later this year.

SWTC explores possible new program in Future Studies

From swnews4u.com: “SWTC to study…The Future” — FENNIMORE — Southwest Wisconsin Technical College has contracted a future studies consultant, to develop a business plan to assess the need and feasibility of offering online courses and continuing education seminars focused on Future Studies.

The courses and seminars will equip individuals and organizations with field-tested concepts and techniques from the new field of Future Studies to take charge of their professional and personal futures.

Dr. Paul Rux will be conducting a market analysis, reviewing the need for specific academic courses and seminars, determining how to market future studies courses, and working up financial projections. Rux will meet with business and industry leaders, district stakeholders, and Southwest Tech staff to collect data for the business plan. Once the business plan is complete, Southwest Tech will determine the feasibility of establishing a Future Studies Institute.

Students of future studies explore how focused insights and techniques can synergize with strategic planning, change management, market research, decision making, and product and service innovation. Students apply classic tools and techniques to identify and prepare for multiple possible and probable futures in various areas and learn to analyze the driving forces. Social responsibility and ethical actions are also included.

 

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?”

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.

SWTC hosts session for displaced workers

From swnews4u.com: “Spireon Cuts Platteville Workforce” — The Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board will hold a Rapid Response session for laid-off workers from Spireon at the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College location in Platteville (the former O.E. Gray School), 110 W. Adams St., Thursday, Oct. 10 at 10 a.m.

Information will be available relating to Unemployment Insurance and other benefits, programs, and retraining options. Representatives from Job Service, Workforce Investment Act, and Southwest Tech will be available to answer questions.

Spireon eliminated 11 of its Platteville positions Thursday, leaving about 10 in the facility at 500 E. Business 151, according to published reports.

The company sells Mobile Resource Management services for companies with vehicle fleets.

The Platteville facility is one of six Spireon sales, service and support locations. The closest is in Dyersville, Iowa, with others in Knoxville, Tenn.; Layton, Utah; Woodstock, Ga.; and Scottsdale, Ariz. Spireon’s corporate headquarters and distribution center are in Irvine, Calif. The company has more than 400 employees nationwide.

 

Column: SWTC responds to manufacturer needs

From swnews4u.com:  “Community Corner: SWTC and Manufacturing” — By Duane Ford, president Southwest Wisconsin Technical College – As our economy rebounded the last few years, regional manufacturers requested help addressing workforce shortages and skills gaps.

In celebration of October being Manufacturing Month, I am reporting Southwest Tech’s response since 2011. The accomplishments that follow were made possible by numerous conversations and partnerships with area manufacturers as well as more than $3.93 million in total support from 27 different private, state, and federal grants.

Manufacturers reported a shortage of people with the interest and skills needed for manufacturing jobs. In response, Southwest Tech beefed up marketing, student recruitment, and youth programming; developed a Business and Manufacturing Bridge Program to help adult students lacking basic literacy skills to prepare for admission into one of our manufacturing related diploma or degree programs; and developed Gold Collar Certification, a short program that provides entry-level manufacturing competencies to unskilled and low-skilled people.

Manufacturers reported a shortage of maintenance technicians, welders, and CNC setup/operators. In response, Southwest Tech is increasing the number of students we can serve in our electromechanical technology program from 24 to 48 per year and in welding from 40 to 60; growing student numbers in CNC setup/operator; developing “flex-degree-like” learning systems for our supervisory management, welding, and CNC setup/operator programs; and creating new programs in logistics and supply chain management.

Manufacturers reported a need for more customized, incumbent worker training. In response, Southwest Tech increased the number of workers we train per year by more than 63% since 2009 and developed two new programs. One is helping maintenance technicians understand how the machines they work on network with computer systems. The other is helping electricians work in the specialized environments of dairy and food manufacturing plants.

Southwest Tech appreciates this region’s manufacturers and their workers. We are proud of our service to this sector. Manufacturing offers fantastic career opportunities. Happy Manufacturing Month!

Education brings hope for the future

From wxow.com: “Another Chapter from Little Free Libraries” — PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WI (WXOW)—The Little Free Library is an idea that originated in Hudson four years ago.

People put up these little libraries outside their home, business or school; the community can borrow books from the library for free and donate their unwanted books.

People make their own library or they can get them from the organization.

You can make them however you want and any size you want as long as it’s a safe home for books.

Andrew Doubek, 23, has always loved working with his hands.

“It helps me process things,” Andrew said. “It’s nice to be able to think about the logic of it all.”

Andrew spends five hours a day in a wood shop turning a wooden pallet into a Little Free Library.

“He’s done well,” Chad Cline, Teacher, Vocational Building Maintenance and Construction said.  “An excellent student.  Does his work, minds his business, pleasure to have in class.”

“It’s nice to be able to get out and be able to work with your hands do something for a while. Lets you escape this kind of place for a while,” Andrew said.

The kind of place people are sent after breaking the law, Prairie Du Chien Correctional Institute.

“We’re pretty isolated in prison so it’s kind of nice to be able to reach out and do something for other people,” Andrew said.

“That’s really part of the motivation for all of us,” Rick Brooks, Co-Founder, Little Free Library said.  “Each individual story has its value but we just have a week by week renewal in faith in humanity that comes from things like that.”

A few years ago, the prison reached out to Little Free Library to see if construction students could help.

“It fit really well with the program and gave us projects we could get out the door rather than piling up here,” Cline said.

Over the last year and a half, inmates have donated 80 libraries.

“We had a Brownie troop from Minneapolis that sent us a big poster of thank you,” Cline said. “We’ve gotten them from Joplin, MO after the tornado.”

Andrew has two years left in prison. He said it’s a process, but he truly does want to change.

“I can see clearly now,” he said. “I’ve made some mistakes but I’m going to try to bounce back and use the tools I can learn here in the shop and apply it to doing well on the outside.”

The construction class is part program offered by Southwest Technical College in Fennimore.  Inmates can earn a degree or certificate while serving their time.

Andrew said he already has an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science and when he gets out he wants to finish up his Bachelor’s Degree.

The Little Free Libraries inmates make are donated to communities with out a library.

Communities can apply for a Free Little Library online.

 

Technical colleges and UWP sign articulation agreement

From swnews4u.com: “SWTC + Nicolet = UWP” — By Robert Callahan – Proving the hundreds of miles between them is no obstacle, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, UW–Platteville and Nicolet College will join forces per an articulation agreement signed last week.

The three institutions of higher learning will award an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree, otherwise known as a University Transfer Liberal Arts degree, to qualifying students.

UW–Platteville Chancellor Dennis J. Shields, Southwest Tech President Dr. Duane M. Ford and Nicolet College President Elizabeth Burmaster signed the agreement on the UW–Platteville campus Wednesday morning.

“We are thrilled at this prospect and all the opportunities it provides us,” said UW–Platteville Provost Mittie Nimocks Den Herder as she welcomed those in attendance.

Students earning the University Transfer Liberal Arts degree at Nicolet College will be eligible to have all credits transfer and meet the UW–Platteville general education requirements, with the exception of ethnic and gender studies.

Southwest Tech students will complete a year of coursework through the Fennimore campus and a subsequent year through Nicolet College classes taught online, enabling the student to remain in southwest Wisconsin instead of attending the Nicolet College campus in Rhinelander.

After the completion of the “1+1” program, students are awarded the Transfer Liberal Arts Associates degree. Students who maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average in the program will be guaranteed admission to UW–Platteville.

“One of the things that all three of our institutions have in common is we are points of access to higher education in Wisconsin,” said Shields. “Many of our students that come are first-generation college students. Working together with institutions like Nicolet and Southwest Tech is part of our DNA at Platteville.

“This articulation agreement I think expands on the opportunity for us to serve those populations. The ability to get a bachelor’s degree working through our three institutions, staying close to home, gaining access to higher education, is what we are all about.”

In recent years, Ford discovered 125 students, residents of the Southwest Tech district, were pursuing a university Transfer Associates of Arts or Associates of Science degree at a different Wisconsin Technical College or adjoining states’ community college.

“We thought it would be a good idea to arrange for these students to have a local opportunity to complete that degree, and frankly, also serve to serve students who would probably love to follow that same pathway, but simply cannot move,” said Ford.

A discussion between Ford and Burmaster at a higher education conference was the impetus of the freshly signed articulation agreement.

“We are all about creating career pathways, which is really nothing more than pathways for students to follow throughout their life and their career to advance their learning, to get better and better, and to learn more and more competencies, to get more credentials to succeed in their life and their work,” said Ford. “By signing this agreement we are stacking one more path, one more opportunity, on top of the associates degree that we will be doing. Those students will now be able to come directly to UW–Platteville and work toward a bachelor’s degree.

“It works out extremely well for all involved. I think by partnering, by leveraging our resources and our unique missions, we can do much for our citizens without adding costs to the people who support us.”

The goal of the new agreement is to retain qualified southwest Wisconsin candidates who depart the district for other, approved transfer opportunities, such as the 125 students Ford has identified.

“This is all about student success, isn’t it? All three of us, as education leaders, but more importantly, all of the wonderful faculty, staff and administration that put this together,” said Burmaster. “This is very, very good for students. Students of all ages, students with all different educational experiences.”

UW–Platteville has 16 articulation agreements in place in Wisconsin, 15 in Iowa and 48 in Illinois. UW–Platteville recognizes associate degrees from all 13 UW two-year colleges plus Nicolet and the Madison and Milwaukee technical colleges. The Nicolet agreement is now in its 10th year.

More than 500 students on the UW–Platteville campus began their secondary education somewhere else before coming to UW–Platteville. Of those 500, 137 earned associate degrees from one of those 76 two-year colleges of which we have articulation agreements.

Might this most recent collaboration open the door for future partnerships between UW–Platteville, Southwest Tech and Nicolet College?

“It is an interesting thing,” said Shields. “We sometimes get criticized because we don’t have these things going on. When people take a closer look, there is a lot more effort to provide the opportunity to coordinate than is immediately obvious.

“We don’t see ourselves competing, but working together, so there will always be an opportunity.”

 

UWP, SWTC, Nicolet College reach transfer agreement

From swnews4.com: “UWP, SWTC, Nicolet College Reach Transfer Agreement”  — UW–Platteville, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College and Nicolet College in Rhinelander have formed a partnership to award an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree, otherwise known as a University Transfer Liberal Arts degree.

UW–Platteville Chancellor Dennis J. Shields, Southwest Tech President Duane M. Ford and Nicolet College President Elizabeth Burmaster will sign the agreement in Room 2007 in UW–Platteville’s Ullsvik Hall today at 11 a.m.

Students earning the University Transfer Liberal Arts Degree at Nicolet College will be eligible to have all credits transfer and meet the UW–Platteville general education requirements, with the exception of ethnic and gender studies. Students at Southwest Tech will complete a year of coursework through the Fennimore campus and a subsequent year through Nicolet College.

After the completion of the “1+1” program, students are awarded the Transfer Liberal Arts Associate degree.  Students who maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average in the program will be guaranteed admission to UW–Platteville.

The goal of the program is to retain qualified southwest Wisconsin candidates who leave the technical college district for other, approved transfer opportunities. It is believed the agreement could serve up to 125 students per year who leave to study at other two-year institutions and then return to the area.

With current enrollment of more than 8,600 students, UW–Platteville continues to be the fastest-growing public university in Wisconsin. Southwest Tech’s main campus has more than 1,600 full-time equivalent students and serves approximately 12,000 southwest Wisconsin residents each year.

Nicolet College offers more than 70 different associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and apprenticeships as well as a University Transfer Liberal Arts Program, where students earn credits towards a bachelor’s degree before transferring to a four-year college or university.

SWTC grad starts new business

From swnews4u.com: “Boscobel grad’s new company helps small businesses succeed” — Some may remember Boscobel native Brock Waterman as the guy that traveled for three years covering 30 different countries on five different continents. Now Waterman has taken his life goals to a whole new level.

Waterman is currently working part-time for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (UWP) as the Pioneer Launch Lab Coordinator. However, he has also decided to take on his own business called Fundunity LLC.

“Fundunity LLC is a company that I have always dreamed of starting,” said Waterman.

According to Waterman, his business is an ambitious endeavor that brings together all the different aspects of his work and personal experiences to help small businesses successfully launch, reach their full potential, and recover during tough times. Working at the UWP helps him gain more experience to jumpstart his career as he has the opportunity to work with students of both past and present to help launch their businesses while working on his own business consulting skills.

Fundunity LLC has been part of Waterman’s life since June of 2012. Since then he feels he has made some great changes in companies and had even greater results. One case in particular, was when Waterman helped a business grow sales over 50 percent to $200,000 and triple profits from 2011-2012.

Waterman’s goal is to focus on the following areas to help small businesses: business consulting, website design, web hosting, social media, Internet consulting, software development, business funding, and investment opportunities.

Currently Waterman is charging customers or businesses $40 per hour for his services, which is far less than most people in his position. However, he is thinking in the next few months he will have to raise it to at least $50. A first consulatition with Waterman is free of charge and has no strings attached.

“I don’t want to make it so people who are having trouble with their company can’t afford my services,” said Waterman.

For that price, Waterman has helped many companies and individuals with the following: direct business startup planning, budgets, analyze struggling companies, computerize business systems, help companies streamline, assist with risk management, and launching websites.

Some companies that he has helped launch websites for are local Platteville companies such as Platteville Massage and Therapy and Los Amigos–Mexican Restaurant.

In order for Waterman to provide such services to the community, some may wonder what kind of background experience he must have.

Waterman has been working with the business aspect of things his entire life, as he has entrepreneurial parents who own their own company called Chopper Box located outside of Boscobel. Chopper Box is a company that fixes chopper boxes for insurance companies and farmers. Waterman helped with his parents’ company as he grew up and still helps them with it today.

However, he also has the educational background experience to go with it. Waterman attended Southwest Wisconsin Technical College where he received two degrees in Computer Information Systems (Programmer Analyst and Microcomputer Specialist).  He then attended the UWP where he majored in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance and Spanish as a minor.

Past his schooling and his upbringing by his parents’ business, Waterman also has 10 years of work experience in many different aspects of business, including: client support technician, computer programmer, business analyst, website designer/content creator, sales/customer service, bank examiner, and commodities market analyst/broker.

In 2000, Waterman produced a side business known as GeNext Software. It was focused on computer programming, website design, and hosting. He is now taking that business and integrating it into Fundunity LLC.

Waterman has worked in places such as Lands’ End, where he has earned generous salaries in a number of capacities. However, makinga lot of money is not his main focus in life.

“I love being able to have an impact on a company, and someone’s life,” said Waterman.

His priorities are to help small businesses be successful, which is what drives him to work hard at helping other businesses and individuals.

If looking for help getting your business off the ground or making a change in your business, feel free to contact Brock Waterman at brock@fundunity.com or check out their website at www.fundunity.com for more information.

SWTC enters partnership to train manufacturing workers

From kwwl.com: “Eastern Iowa manufacturing jobs ripe for the taking” — Eastern Iowa’s manufacturing industry has so many open positions, companies can’t fill them quickly enough.

That has prompted Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) in Peosta to team up with Southwestern Wisconsin Technical College. The two created the Tri-State Advanced Manufacturing Center for Excellence. It will help train and pair skilled workers with the abundance of manufacturing jobs available locally.

This week, NICC announced the appointment of the center’s director, Randy Schofield, who is currently an advanced manufacturing instructor at NICC’s Peosta campus.

He said there are hundreds of jobs available in the Dubuque area right now, and they pay well.

“We have 21-, 22-year-old people out there in the workforce that went through a one-year program that are making $50,000 or $60,000 a year,” Schofield said.

It was the job availability that drew student Titus Fair to NICC’s advanced manufacturing program. After an injury in Iraq sent the former Marine back to Iowa, Fair first enrolled in NICC’s heating and air conditioning program.

“I looked for a job for six months, and I was unsuccessful in finding a job,” Fair said, “so I decided to come back and go to the CNC program.”

Fair returned to NICC’s Peosta campus to gain advanced manufacturing skills and train as a computer numerical control (CNC) machinist technician.

“The manufacturing and CNC jobs are booming in this area right now,” Fair said.

Schofield said the advanced manufacturing jobs available right now include “welders and machinists and engineers and all throughout manufacturing, really.”

He said the high job availability has to do with an aging existing workforce.

“A lot of the machinists and the welders and the manufacturing people are getting older, and there is work coming back from countries,” he said. “When I first started out, we worked for companies that sent work over to other countries, and now some of that work is coming back.”

Fair and Schofield both said these are good jobs with benefits.

In exploring different opportunities, Schofield said he found jobs that offered, “anywhere from $38,000 to $60,000 that first year on the job, so it’s pretty good.”

For Fair, it’s now a matter of swimming in opportunities.

“Right now, it’s such a high demand for CNC. I recommend this to anybody looking for a job,” he said.

Fair said he’s now deciding between two job offers.

SWTC looks to meet need for masonry grads

From thonline.com: “A career with a solid future” — It’s a job that dates to the building of the Egyptian pyramids, the Roman Coliseum, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China.

Throughout civilization, architects and builders have chosen masonry for its beauty, versatility and durability, according to Mason Contractors Association of America. Masonry resists the effects of time and weather, and it remains beautiful for centuries.

The association points out there are several opportunities to start a career in masonry because the industry is facing a shortage of skilled employees. As a trained and skilled mason, individuals will have the job security that promises a lucrative career for years to come.

No matter what the job, the skill and precision required by a mason cannot be replaced by machines.

The bricklaying and masonry population is aging, and the need for trained masons in the field is crucial.

Local help

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore is doing its part in addressing that shortage with a nine-month program. It gives students basic masonry skills.

In addition to the core bricklaying classes, they also take courses in estimating, blueprint reading and construction safety and health, which includes a 30-hour Occupational Safety & Health Administration class combined with First Aid/CPR certification.

According to Don Borchert, bricklaying program instructor and industrial occupations coordinator, the program is focused on hands-on learning, with students spending 20 hours per week in the lab working with the tools. The last eight weeks is spent doing community service projects for area communities.

“We treat this as a job site and incorporate the estimating, blueprint and safety aspects into these projects,” he said.

One of those service projects is Grant Regional Health Center’s (Lancaster) Memory Walk project. Borchert and his students have assisted with the project yearly since 2006.

Last year, they won the “Crews That Rock” competition sponsored by the World of Concrete trade show. To date, 200 to 300 pavers have been sold and installed in the memory garden, according to Sandy Leibfried, manager of the Grant Regional Health Center Foundation.

“As individuals purchase pavers, they are invited to participate in the installation of the pavers, which can be a very emotional moment,” Leibfried said. “Don and his students have been very respectful and responsible in assisting the families in the installation of the pavers. The students have been fantastic and hardworking every year. This project would not exist if it were not for Southwest Tech, Don Borchert, and the bricklaying students.”

Decline in workers

Borchert said there’s been a decline of bricklayers and trades workers in general due to the lagging economy and many workers retiring.

“With the growth of construction recently, and the reduced number of active bricklayers, the need is on the rise,” he said. “This is not just a Wisconsin or Iowa problem, it is nationwide.”

Karen Teske-Osborne, executive director of the Masonry Technology Foundation of Wisconsin, agreed.

“Well-trained masons are needed to continue to be able to build the highly desirable masonry structures,” she said.

“The masonry training programs at Wisconsin’s technical colleges helped produce graduates that either were accelerated in the apprenticeship programs or frequently excelled at their first jobs, advancing quickly to the level of foreman or even starting their own mason contractor businesses,” Teske-Osborne said. “The number of graduates do not meet the growing need.”

A lifelong skill

Nearly everywhere, you see the work of a skilled mason — in office buildings, homes, schools, factories, patios and fireplaces — and jobs aren’t sent overseas.

“Once you learn it, you can’t take it away,” Borchert said. “These are jobs that are staying in the United States. You can’t build a trowel that reaches from another country. Buildings have to be built here and they always will be.”

Borchert said the importance of the program to a potential student is that it gives that person a solid base to start from.

“Good marketable skills that contractors are looking for,” he said. “The pros for contractors is that Southwest Tech provides a source for employees — good, committed employees that are coming to work with the training process started. It is a very expensive investment for employers to train employees, and this gives them someone who can be productive from the start.”

Lyndal Anthony, an industrial technology instructor at East Dubuque (Ill.) High School, hears constantly from businesses about how hard it is for them to find skilled labor.

“In today’s ‘electronic information’ world, people/students seem to be looking for the jobs that are easy and pay lots of money,” he said.

Anthony said the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that weekly income of skilled labor is more than the weekly income of a person with a master’s degree.

A lesser-known trade?

Anthony, who took a group of students to Fennimore last year to preview the program, experienced that many years ago when he decided to go to college. It was proposed that the income he could earn with a two-year degree was half of what he was already making as a machinist and even with his teaching degree today, it is still half of what he could make in a machine shop.

“I hear about a lot of construction, mechanics, welding, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) jobs where there are shortages of workers, but for whatever reason, I just don’t hear about masonry jobs, which does not mean that there aren’t masonry jobs available, I just don’t hear about them,” Anthony said.

“That is a shame. After taking my students to Southwest Tech to check out the masonry program, my students found that laying bricks was fun and easier to do than they thought it would be, so there has to be a huge misconception about masonry work.

“I would guess that, more than anything, there is a lack of information and masonry programs for people to be aware that there are a lot of jobs and a lot of money to be made in the masonry field.”

The association noted the wages of a skilled mason are one of the highest in the construction trades, but wages depend on where an individual works and who that person works for.

Bureau of Labor statistics indicate the 2010 median annual pay was $45,210, or $21.83 per hour. Teske-Osborne said the bureau projects that there will be a 41 percent increase in the labor force for masons from 2010 to 2020 while the increase for construction workers is projected to be 14 percent.

Data from Wisconsin NetForce show an entry salary range from $33,000 to $65,000. Experienced masons’ salaries range from $49,000 to $74,000.

“Southwest Tech’s bricklaying/masonry program offers a fantastic opportunity and great return on investment,” said Duane Ford, Southwest Tech president. “Students who invest nine months of their time and a current total of $5,430 for tuition, fees, tools and equipment can walk out of graduation into a good, family-supporting job. Financial aid is available for qualifying students. There are plenty of jobs.”

SWTC golfer scores two aces in one round

 

From jsonline.com: “Blaesing’s stellar round of 63 includes two holes-in-one” — Danny Blaesing was so excited when he made his first hole-in-one Monday that he whipped out his cell phone and called family members and his golf coach at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College to give them the good news.

Forty-five minutes later, he called back with an update:

He had just made ace No. 2.

The odds are high for a golfer to make a hole-in-one in any given round. But two aces just four holes apart? Mind-boggling.

“You’re hitting a 6-iron 210 yards to a hole (4 ¼) inches in diameter,” Blaesing said. “How can you explain that you did that on purpose?”

Blaesing, 20, a Brookfield native and a sophomore on his school’s golf team, made his holes-in-one during a practice round at Hickory Grove Golf Course, a nine-hole, par-36 course in Fennimore.

He was playing with teammates Jeremy Wyss, Mitch Ross and Brandon Olsen.

Blaesing went around Hickory Grove twice. The aces both occurred during the second nine. First, he holed out on the 201-yard fourth hole, his 13th. He used a 6-iron.

“I made a really good swing,” he said. “One hop, it starts to roll and the ball goes dead in the center of the hole. We went bonkers. It was my first hole-in-one. I called my dad. I called my swing instructor, Scott Kennedy, and I was like, ‘Scott, I’m so excited I don’t know what to do.’

“He said, ‘Well, you’ve got a second chance on No. 8.’ ”

Sure enough, Blaesing aced the 158-yard eighth hole, his 17th, with an 8-iron. The sun was setting and neither he nor his friends saw the ball go in.

“We were looking around the back of the green and one of the guys goes, ‘Check the hole,’ ” Blaesing said. “Jeremy walks up and looks in and says, ‘It’s in the cup! It’s in the cup!’ I’m like, ‘You’re kidding me. This is not possible.’ ”

He immediately called Kennedy.

“I said, ‘So, I accepted your challenge and just made my second hole-in-one,’ ” Blaesing said. “It was an overwhelming feeling of joy. The round went from great to amazing.”

He wound up shooting a 63, including a 30 on the nine that included the two aces.

“I can’t explain it,” Blaesing said. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

 

 

SWTC instructor honored

From agriview.com: “Cutting presented WCPA Education Award” — Southwest Tech Agribusiness/Science Technology program instructor Paul Cutting, Fennimore, was recently honored by the Wisconsin Crop Production Association with an Education Award.

“Paul was selected to receive this award by the Board of Directors for his dedication to agribusiness education and providing instruction to students who have been successful in the crop production industry,” commented Rob Poehnelt, Wisconsin Crop Production Association Executive Director. “Paul has a huge impact on crop production in the state of Wisconsin and we are proud to be able to recognize his achievements.”

“I am happy and humbled to have been selected for this award and am incredibly proud the Agribusiness/Science Technology program is being recognized in the industry,” commented Cutting. “As I was accepting the award, I was amazed to see the number of my graduates in the audience that are members of the Wisconsin Crop Production Association. Seeing students continue to learn is an award in itself.”

Cutting has been the instructor for Southwest Tech’s Agribusiness/Science Technology program for 23 years. He has been the State Manager for Wisconsin Post-secondary Agricultural Students (PAS) since 1989 and the advisor for Southwest Tech’s Agribusiness PAS Chapter, which has been represented by many state and national officers. Cutting is a member at the state and national level of both the Association of Agricultural Instructors and the Association of Career and Technical Education, and is a lifetime member of the FFA Alumni and PAS Associates.

Monsanto donates safety equipment to Southwest Wisconsin Technical College

From wisbusiness.com: “Southwest Tech receives $8,305 grant” — Peaceful fields, bright blue skies, open spaces – when most people think about farms, they envision the serene landscapes often found in art museums. Few people realize that farming is actually one of the most dangerous professions in America. Of all farm accidents, grain bin accidents can be among the most severe and grain bin rescues can be among the most difficult. When Southwest Wisconsin Technical College expressed an interest in training their students in grain bin rescue techniques, the Livingston Monsanto site recognized the importance of this training and nominated the school for a grant to purchase grain bin rescue equipment.

The technical college, located in Fennimore, was presented with a grant for $8,305 from the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, during a presentation on Dec. 2. The funds will be used to purchase a Liberty Rescue Tube.

“The Liberty Rescue Tube is made up of four pieces that lock together to form a tube,” said Rita Luna, directory of the EMS and fire program at the college. “The tube is driven into the grain surrounding the victim and the grain is then removed from inside the tube, allowing the victim to be removed safely from the grain bin.”

Jason Biddick of Monsanto was excited to play a part in the donation. “The college has always been very safety-oriented,” Biddick said “The purchase of this rescue tube will enable them to train members of the community on its use, expanding their already impressive list of safety classes offered.”

Rita Luna was very appreciative of the grant.

“This newly developed tool will truly enhance the likelihood of survival among victims of grain bin accidents,” Luna said.

This grant is part of a broad commitment by the Monsanto Fund, which is focused on strengthening farming communities, as well as the communities where Monsanto’s employees live and work.

SWTC staff create ‘tactical fitness’ program

From policeone.com: “Implementing a ‘tactical fitness’ program” — The law enforcement profession presents a variety of unique physical challenges which can cause serious — sometimes career-ending — physical injury. For just one example, you may spend two straight hours seated in your squad car, followed immediately by a foot pursuit which ends in a wrestling match. Some departments are good at giving officers the time and the equipment required to work out and prepare your body physically for the many outside physical forces which will be placed upon you in the line of duty — other agencies leave it entirely up to the individual officer.

I’ve recently been in touch with some folks who have implemented a program that piqued my interest. Dubbed “Tactical Fitness” this health and wellness program targets specific muscle groups with exercises created specifically for situations officers encounter in the line of duty, with the objective of preventing injuries and health-related issues. Tactical Fitness was created by staff members of the criminal justice program at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College and instructors at Orange Shoe Personal Fitness (based in Fitchburg, Wisconsin). The program’s goal is to bring a new culture to departments and recruits using a cost-effective wellness model with stability balls, resistance bands, and TRX Suspension Trainers, a versatile piece of exercise equipment that is portable, lightweight, and can be used in a minimum amount of space.

Southwest Tech received a grant through the Wisconsin Department of Justice to offer a workshop for local Wisconsin law enforcement agencies providing Tactical Fitness training designed to give officers the tools to train their individual departments. Local agencies that participated include the Iowa Country Sheriff’s office, Dodgeville Police Department, Fennimore Police Department, Dubuque Police Department, and Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office.

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