Wisconsin workforce challenges: $60M committed to finding solutions

Gov. Tony Evers in Kenosha, speaks on $60M in regional workforce funding

Wisconsin announced 12 regional projects aimed at developing long-term solutions to the state's workforce challenges.

KENOSHA, Wis. - Wisconsin announced on Tuesday, Dec. 14 12 regional projects aimed at developing long-term solutions to the state's workforce challenges.

The projects announced on Tuesday will receive up to $59.5 million in grants through the first round of the Workforce Innovation Grant Program.

Among the projects funded in the first round of grants are public-private partnerships to train and attract healthcare workers throughout rural Wisconsin; develop next-generation advanced manufacturing employees in west-central and southeast Wisconsin; expand affordable, high-quality childcare in Door County, Green County, and south-central Wisconsin; create pipelines of young, educated workers in Milwaukee; train construction and skilled craft workers throughout the state; foster a culture of entrepreneurship in Kenosha; and enable incarcerated individuals to earn undergraduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin.

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The grant program is funded by $100 million directed by Gov. Evers using resources available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). A second round of grants will be awarded in 2022.

12 projects slated to receive grants

Chippewa Valley Technical College | up to ~$10 Million
Serving Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau CLaire, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix, Taylor, and Trempealeau counties, Chippewa Valley Technical College proposed using these funds for the Restoring Employment through Support, Training, Outreach, Recruitment, and Education (RESTORE) project. This project will use a multi-pronged approach to address the need for skilled workers in metal fabrication across the manufacturing sector through outreach, short-term training with integrated educational pathways, and contextualized and work-based learning opportunities. The project model includes multi-purpose training centers and mobile labs, strategically integrated in rural regions, to be utilized by high schools and employers

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | up to ~$9.4 Million
Serving 16 counties across the state, the proposal provided by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire provides a comprehensive, multi-pillared approach to alleviate workforce shortages in key areas of healthcare, education, and social services while improving the health and wellbeing of families and individuals in rural regions of Wisconsin. Partnering with local school districts and social services organizations, the University will work to place education and social work students in rural settings to encourage them to stay and build their careers. The program will also partner with Mayo Clinic Health System-Northwest WI to create innovative curriculum and clinical experiences to graduate more nurses. Additionally, this proposal includes building a foundation for long-term talent development in high demand, family sustaining careers by creating new degree programs in growing healthcare fields, including public health, healthcare management, and psychiatry. This proposal also looks to partner with Mayo to pilot a new innovative care-coach model and rural healthcare hubs to bring better care and upskilled career possibilities to rural communities. Finally, in partnership with Mayo, WiSys, and the University's Small Business Development Center, the plan will provide main street business owners will skills to innovate, adapt to challenges, and grow.

Mid-State Technical College | up to ~$9 Million
Serving Wood, Portage, Adams, Waushara, Juneau, Jackson, Clark, and Marathon counties, Mid-State Technical College, Centergy, and their partners have proposed using the funds to build a regional collaboration around workforce challenges in the central region of Wisconsin to target 2,500 unemployed, underemployed, underserved communities, and youth with skill training and barrier-removing support services. This includes the construction of the Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering Technology, and Apprenticeship Center in the region.

University of Wisconsin Administration | up to ~$5.7 Million
Serving counties across the state through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, the University of Wisconsin Prison Education Initiative (PEI) will deliver workforce-ready curriculum to teach employable skills to students while incarcerated and continue supporting them post-release through program completion and career placement. Piloting the program will engage six regions of the state with programs through UW-Oshkosh, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Parkside, UW-Green Bay, and UW-Madison, along with Extended Campus.

Gateway Technical College | up to ~$5.6 Million
Serving Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties, Gateway Technical College was awarded these funds for the Southeast Wisconsin's Talent Optimization Project (SWTOP) to address the biggest regional workforce challenges, including the urgent need for educated workers in high-demand fields and the large number of adults who cannot address that need due to lacking high school credentials. This project will offer a 4-week pre-HSED (High School Equivalency Diploma) program, followed by a 16-week Work Ready (WR) HSED program. Courses will be offered in-person and online, onsite classes will be centrally located and offered both during the day and in the evening, transportation and childcare services will be sourced as needed, and individual case management will provide support services and guidance to keep students on track.

City of Kenosha | up to ~$990,000
Serving Kenosha County, the city of Kenosha proposed using these funds to partner with Gener8tor to bring an entrepreneurship skilling program to the city, specifically to work with startup founders of color and women founders in Kenosha. The programing, known as gBETA, will provide coaching, mentorship, and networking needed to develop the workforce of entrepreneurs in the city to build strong, sustainable companies, and therefore, create strong, sustainable jobs.

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Green County Family YMCA | up to ~$3.7 Million
Serving Green County, Green County Family YMCA will use these funds to facilitate the addition of a 5,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art daycare and preschool wing for licensed programs and classes, as well as an addition of a 6,000 sq. ft. Youth Development Wing. Through a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Vitality Youth Services, Jacob's Swag, Avenue's Counseling, and the Multicultural Outreach program this investment will help Green County Family YMCA meet the diverse needs of area youth.

United Way of Door County | up to ~$3.5 Million
Serving Door County, United Way of Door County were awarded funds to make changes to existing childcare facilities in the county. Following the work of United Way of Door County's community childcare task force, two local nonprofit licensed group childcare centers are revising their business models. These new business models require changes to the childcare facilities and United Way of Door County was awarded these funds to make those changes to the existing space, as well as construct a new space.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Inc. | up to ~$3.3 Million
Serving Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and its partner agencies and employers plan to use these funds for the Ready Center Collective (RCC) to launch a new approach to teen workforce training, credentialing, and employment engagement. In partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools, Employ Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Herzing University, and more than a dozen large scale employers serving Milwaukee, the RCC is an alliance of workforce partners intent on increasing the rate in which Milwaukee's teens are positively engage in the area's workforce. The training building will include seven classroom training spaces and the programmatic approach is multi-tiered, providing teens the opportunity to sample career pathways, immerse themselves in occupational skills training experiences, and engage in internships and apprenticeships.

Operation Fresh Start | up to ~$3.3 Million
Serving Dane County, Operation Fresh Start proposes using these funds for an innovative program design to solve trades employment workforce issues in the south-central region of Wisconsin, known as Build Academy. Build Academy is an innovative industry-informed collaborative job training and education program designed to prepare the next generation of construction and conservation workers for successful careers, providing real life on-site work experience with classroom and training lab education.

Madison Area Technical College (MATC) | up to ~$2.9 Million
Serving Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Marquette, Richland, Rock, and Sauk counties, Madison Area Technical College proposed using funds to address two significant pandemic-related workforce issues in South Central Wisconsin, including childcare and training and upskilling for in-demand jobs. MATC plans to bolster the pipeline of high-quality childcare professions by leveraging partnerships to provide more care, support childcare facilities in improving quality ratings and accessing financial resources, and support working families with dedicated navigational support at MATC. Additionally, MATC plans to develop new avenues to accessing in-demand skills training in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology through collaborative community partnerships.

Sauk Prairie School District | up to ~$2.4 Million
Serving Columbia, Dane, and Sauk counties, the Sauk Prairie School District plans to use these funds to provide an innovative solution to address the workforce needs of the region's advanced manufacturers, agricultural science employers, and healthcare providers. Currently, needs are not being met due to outdated training spaces and equipment, creating a skills gap in the area. This project will lead to sustainable training for apprentices, current students, and current employees by bringing employers into the school building and students into the region's employers.