forward HR

S p r i n g 2 0 2 0 • forwardHR | 21 WORKFORCE READINESS e proven value of partnerships Technical colleges, businesses work together to educate employees By Erin Eagan, Digital Content Associate, Wisconsin Technical Colleges' Statewide Marketing Consortium F or generations, Wisconsin's technical colleges have been committed to our industry leaders and community partners. Since 1911, the mission has been to match real-world education to the needs of a constantly changing economy. As a whole, our colleges educate approximately one in 10 state residents in more than 500 industry-driven programs in high-demand sectors. Graduates of these programs enter the labor force prepared for highly skilled technical professions — a win-win for graduates and Wisconsin employers. Working alongside employers, our technical colleges continue to prepare employees with critical workplace skills. Students learn alongside instructors with real-world experience and develop their expertise with the latest technologies and industry practices used in today's workplace. Educating tomorrow's workforce With locations statewide, Frontier Ag & Turf works closely with technical colleges as their needs evolve. e company knows keeping communication lines open is beneficial to its operation and the Wisconsin agriculture industry as a whole. "In my present position, I've sat down with the instructors locally here, several different times, and have had conversations about what we're looking for out of employees," says Charles Strabel, parts manager of Frontier Ag & Turf. "If we didn't have technical colleges educating our employees and bringing them into the workforce, we're behind the eight ball then. We need those educated, talented people to progress our businesses, and ag is a big part of Wisconsin." Training today's employees In addition to hiring skilled grads, hundreds of our state's employers have also sought out our colleges' help for customized training of its current workforce. To make funding for that training easier, many organizations have taken advantage of employee training funds, or Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) grants, ranging from $2,500 to $200,000. One such company is Teel Plastics in Baraboo. "We have a culture with a strong emphasis on continuous improvement, always striving to serve our customers better," says DeAnna Dean, human resource manager and training specialist at Teel Plastics. "We are fortunate to be able to offer our team members opportunities to learn new things and leverage their skills. Using WAT grant training courses is one way that our employees have been able to grow and contribute in a meaningful way to the business, improve their own processes and have a stake in how work gets done." From agriculture to manufacturing, more than half of Wisconsin's job openings in the next decade will require technical education. e partnerships formed between employers and local colleges will continue to support the viability of companies, like yours, that are the backbone of our economy. For information on how our colleges can help you, reach out to the employee training contact at your local technical college. ■ Erin Eagan is the digital content associate for Wisconsin Technical Colleges' Statewide Marketing Consortium. Wisconsin's 16 technical colleges serve every community in Wisconsin, providing learning opportunities close to home. The Wisconsin Technical College System offers more than 500 programs, awarding two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas, and short-term technical diplomas and certificates. The colleges also provide customized business solutions that help employers ensure a skilled incumbent workforce ready to improve processes or incorporate new technology. Visit www.wistechcolleges.org to explore all the benefits Wisconsin technical colleges have to offer.

• Cover