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For Immediate Release: January 16, 2013 |
Spotlight on Technical Colleges in "State of the State"MADISON – In Tuesday night’s State of the State address, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker highlighted the pivotal role Wisconsin’s technical colleges are playing in statewide economic development efforts. The Governor introduced Diane Stepp, one of the first graduates of Moraine Park Technical College’s accelerated training program in “CNC” Machine Operation. The 15-week program, the first of several planned in this high-demand sector, delivered valuable skills training on precision manufacturing equipment, allowing Wisconsin manufacturers to compete nationally and globally. "This is a clear example of the flexibility, responsiveness, and collaboration that allows all of our colleges to deliver quick solutions for employers with a targeted investment," said Morna Foy, who was recently named president of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). Stepp and the other graduates of Moraine Park’s CNC training had job offers within days of graduation. The quick offers came from the employer partners in the training program, funded under a grant from the Wisconsin Covenant Foundation. Wisconsin’s technical colleges consistently demonstrate job placement rates near 90 percent for graduates. "The tight collaboration our college has with employers allows them to immediately assess training needs and deliver skilled workers," said Sheila Ruhland, president of Moraine Park Technical College. "Even better, all of our colleges have training designed to allow workers to keep advancing their skills in the future, which is great for the employer and the individual." In his remarks before the Legislature, Governor Walker stated that workforce development across sectors – from manufacturing to health care to hospitality – will be a top priority in his next budget and throughout the current legislative session.
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