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Impact

Technical colleges keep the state’s hospitals and clinics thriving, manufacturing on the cutting edge, commerce moving, police and fire departments vital, EMTs on the road, farmers producing, power and electricity flowing, and IT online.

Our colleges deliver Wisconsin’s essential, front-line workforce.

Technical colleges are accessible to students of all backgrounds.
1,087
0.43%
Displaced Homemaker
5,208
2.09%
Ltd English Proficiency
11,456
4.6%
Disabled
3,449
1.38%
Incarcerated
14,196
5.71%
Non-Traditional
14,125
5.68%
Single Parent
33,793
13.59%
Academically Disadvantaged
49,319
19.84%
Economically Disadvantaged

Wisconsin’s technical colleges are open doors to a world of opportunity.

A broad mission means there is room for everyone.

Employers looking for talent, or to advance talent.

High school students eager to earn college credit at no cost, or high school grads interested in efficient, affordable, transferable postsecondary education.

Veterans with an interest in re-skilling or earning a credential.

Adults who need to work while they plan and pursue their next career, or who need to improve their academic or English Language skills to progress.

Workers who want to take advantage of an “earn while you learn” apprenticeship.

Incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals ready to start a new life of prosperity and promise.

Employment

Icon–hand with mechanical wheel

80%

of graduates are employed in a job related to their education

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Median salaries by career area for 2021 graduates.
Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources $37,437
Architecture and Construction $47,836
Arts, A/V Technology and Communications $39,840
Business, Management and Administration $43,677
Education and Training $30,740
Finance $41,285
Health Science $48,668
Hospitality and Tourism $38,000
Human Services $38,477
Information Technology $48,876
Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security $51,293
Manufacturing $49,136
Marketing, Sales and Service $42,995
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics $51,998
Transportation, Distribution and Logistics $50,540

Wisconsin's technical colleges deliver thousands of skilled graduates each year.

Thousands of technical college graduates and apprentices start prosperous careers each year that keep Wisconsin employers competing and communities thriving, with thousands more continuing their education in pursuit of a four-year degree.

Graduates

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97%

of graduates were satisfied or very satisfied with their technical college education

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HVAC student checking equipment

Over more than 100 years, Wisconsin’s technical colleges have become uniquely versatile, vital members of the communities they serve.

Our colleges have made themselves invaluable over time, to students and to the employers and communities they serve. Graduates, apprentices, learning in service of the community and so much more.

Close to Home

Icon–Wisconsin state with arrows

92%

of technical college graduates live and work in Wisconsin

See Community Engagement

Priorities

WTCS Ambassador Program

The WTCS Ambassador program annually recognizes one student from each tech college and engages those students in a leadership development program.

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Career Pathways

Organizing technical college offerings and services within guided Career Pathways leads to learner success and creates a reliable talent pipeline for Wisconsin employers.

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Commitment to Progress

WTCS commits to creating safe spaces for students and staff and pathways to prosperity for all, and to preparing law enforcement officers for a complex job.

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WTCS Student Success Center

Through the Student Success Center, Wisconsin’s technical colleges learn from – and build on – outstanding work at peer institutions, improving student outcomes.

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Outcomes-Based Funding

State law requires WTCS to maintain a distinct formula for allocating a portion of general state aid to technical colleges, linking outcomes to investments.

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2023-25 Biennial Budget Request

Investment will allow WTCS colleges to expand upon proven strategies to deliver quality education and training to build the skilled talent pool for Wisconsin's employers, increase affordability for students, and support innovation.

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COVID-19 System Updates

WTCS operations and service to tech colleges, partners and the public remain at full capacity. Access updates on System Office operations here.

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About

Wisconsin's 16 technical colleges educate more than 300,000 students every year

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Five Year Graduate Follow up Publication Cover Image

5-Year Graduate Follow-Up

Five years after graduation, Wisconsin technical college graduates are essential workers and leaders in the communities they serve.

The technical colleges surveyed nearly 26,000 2013-14 technical college graduates, with more than 6,300 responding.

Read the publication online here or download using the links below.

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WTCS Board Re-elects Officers

The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board re-elected its officers at the July 13 Board meeting hosted by Western Technical College in La Crosse.

Statement from System President Foy on Governor Evers’ investment in Fox Valley Technical College’s workforce innovation

The Wisconsin Technical College System thanks Governor Evers, Secretary Hughes and Secretary Pechacek for the $3.5 million investment in workforce innovation at Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) through a partnership with Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin. WTCS colleges work closely with community-based organizations and employers in their areas to determine employer needs and provide a highly skilled workforce.

WTCS-in-Brief 06.28.2022

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