West Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Comes from the North

Workforce issues persist well into 2024 nationwide. Employers can’t seem to find enough staff to match their requirements, while individuals face the difficult challenge of balancing work with school, training and family life.

West Central Wisconsin experiences similar issues with unique concerns. Despite a comparatively young population and high labor force participation rate, those individuals are spread throughout a large area encompassing numerous counties. As a result, unique solutions are required to allow employers, existing employees, and potential workers access to continuing education and upskilling options at the region’s universities and tech colleges.

The West Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board (West Central Works) works to address those regional matters with those institutions, including Northwood Technical College. “Northwood Tech” is one of the Aspen Institute’s top U.S. Community Colleges for its career-focused degree and certificate programs, customized business training and a wide array of personal and career enrichment courses.

"Given the current challenges in employee recruitment, it's crucial for us as a regional tech college to play an active role in supporting businesses,” said Liz Pizzi, Associate Dean of Workforce and Community Development at Northwood Tech. “By doing so, we contribute to ensuring their continued operation and success."

Northwood Tech

Northwood Tech’s involvement in West Central Wisconsin is extensive, serving one in 16 people in the region. Numerous programs are designed to address every facet of workforce development from both the employer and employee perspectives. 

Childcare

Availability of daycares and childcare providers in general is a national issue. In Wisconsin,  54% of residents live in a childcare desert, a census tract with more than 50 children under age five with no childcare providers or more than three times as many children as licensed childcare slots. Many of the counties of West Central Wisconsin are childcare deserts. As a result, potential workers often cannot work, while childcare providers do not have the capacity of financial resources to send current employees for the training.

“Northwood Tech understands the role childcare plays in workforce development and has created programs to increase the worker availability to employers,” she said.

The Northwood Tech Group Child Care Essentials is a Career Pathway Certificate covering six credits and two part-time semesters. Participants become lead teachers at a daycare, meeting the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families licensing guidelines for teachers in group child care centers. Northwood Tech’s partnership with West Central Works allows participants to complete the program at no cost through the WIA Grant and earn a $500 stipend upon successful completion.

Customized Training

Northwood Tech's Customized Training helps businesses maximize opportunities for success. Industry experts work with businesses to provide developed programming or create unique curricula to ensure employees can acquire the necessary skills for continuous improvement.  Training is provided online or through Instructional Television at employers’ workplaces or Northwood Tech’s state-of-the-art facilities. 

“At Northwood Tech, we highlight our proactive approach.,” said Pizzi. “By actively listening to employers, we pinpoint their most pressing needs and promptly create tailored solutions for immediate impact." 

Workforce Innovation Grant

West Central Works and Northwood Tech partner on the Workforce Innovation Grant Program, a collaboration between the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Department of Workforce Development. The program provides up to $10 million in grants to regional organizations to design and implement innovative plans that help solve workforce challenges. 

One example is the planned St. Croix Valley Manufacturing Outreach Center, currently under construction at St. Croix Central High School, with a May ribbon cutting and courses to begin in the fall. As a sub-recipient, Northwood Tech and West Central Works worked with several other organizations to deliver this multi-purpose training center.

“With such high demand for training in critical manufacturing-related areas, most of our labs are busy during the day with our program students, leaving very little time to allow businesses to utilize our space for training,” said Pizzi. “Creating the center at a local high school will open the workforce development possibilities to area employers.” 

Northwood Tech also literally takes its programming to schools and employers through mobile labs. With a mostly rural service area where about 320,000 people live in 11 counties covering more than 10,500 square miles, getting to one of Northwood Tech’s campuses is not an option for many. It has invested in innovative mobile, hands-on training labs to better serve students and organizations with transportation challenges.

The mobile labs support courses and short-term credentials in programs like Construction Essentials, Machine Tool, Mechatronics, Robotics and Welding. The 53-foot Mobile Welding Lab became a reality in 2023, with a semi-trailer complete with eight individual welding booths able to be brought to action for students to get the hands-on experience necessary to either upskill in their current roles or work towards certificate and degree completion. View this video to see how the mobile lab can help local communities. 

Setting a course for workforce development

Pizzi appreciates West Central Works’s availability to help deliver the resources and services residents need. “They are a great partner, willing to create solutions to ensure resources are available for local businesses and individuals,” she said. “Additionally, they support and work with us on various grant projects.”
Building a better quality of life for all individuals and businesses in a community is never-ending. Click here to learn how to help or more about grant funds to benefit workers and businesses in West Central Wisconsin.