Wisconsin’s unemployed workers are enrolling in the state’s 16 technical colleges in record numbers, stretching the Wisconsin Technical College System's (WTCS) capacity to the breaking point.
Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), the WTCS's largest institution, is currently experiencing a 27% increase in enrollment.
The states other 15 technical colleges have experienced similar record enrollment increases, led by Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, home of the a closed GM manufacturing plant, which led all tech colleges last year with a 21.5% increase and an astounding 42% over the last two years.
Record enrollments are being driven by dislocated workers and veterans seeking retraining and because the relatively low cost of technical colleges is attractive to all students.
On Saturday the Milwaukee Journal Journal highlighted MATC's work retraining laid off Midwest Airline pilots.
With unemployment projected to remain stubbornly high into 2012 and a record number of long-term unemployed, tech colleges anticipate that enrollment increases will continue. This year, 14 of the 16 colleges are estimating increases of over 10 percent and half of the colleges are estimating increases of 15 percent or more in FTE enrollment.
In an effort to accommodate the influx of students, technical colleges have added increased sections, expanded evening, weekend and on-line courses, increased student pupil ratios, relaxed enrollment deadlines and waived application and other fees for dislocated workers
Many programs at MATC and other tech colleges are now at capacity, despite running day and night and on weekends. Waiting lists are growing.
The Obama administration recognized the key role tech colleges play in helping the economy and the nation's workers recover when it appropriated $12 billion for two -year college education and training.
But there is a catch. Federal training dollars in the America's Graduation Initiative require a local match. Once the bill passes the United States Senate early next year, it will be up to Governor Doyle and the democratically controlled Wisconsin Legislature to appropriate additional funds so that Wisconsin qualifies for these federal training dollars.
State Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine) has authored legislation, the Wisconsin Jobs Initiative, that would appropriate $145 million and generate a $135 million federal match. The bill provides enough funds to train an additional 40,000 Wisconsin workers. Milwaukee's Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) is the second lead on the bill which has been endorsed by 18 additional legislators and the Wisconsin Technical College Boards Association.
When the Legislature reconvenes after the holidays it is critical that it pass this legislation. Otherwise, the doors of opportunity will begin to close on Wisconsin's dislocated workers.
Showing posts with label unemployed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unemployed. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Milwaukee PIC Makes 1st High Wage Job Placement!
Milwaukee’s new workforce development agency has successfully placed its first dislocated worker - none other than former Milwaukee County Private Industry Council (PIC) President and CEO, Gerard Randall.
Randall, who unsuccessfully fought Mayor Barrett’s effort to transfer control of millions of federal workforce dollars from the county to the city, has landed on his feet quite nicely thank you.
He will be the paid $61,000 for six months as the city of Milwaukee PIC’s assistant CEO.
Let’s give the Barrett administration its due. If the Randall placement is a model, the city’s workforce development agency will not only train and place dislocated workers, it will create family supporting jobs! Who even knew there was a shortage of assistant CEO’s?
Randall, like all dislocated workers, will experience some job skidding, ecospeak for the fact that most dislocated workers who find new jobs are generally paid significantly less than they previously earned. But spare Randall your tears since his 6 month salary is almost twice the area’s annual median income of $35,765.
Randall’s salary will no doubt help the new agency’s placement data-raising the average wage of all Milwaukee PIC placements as soon as the new workforce development agency starts placing Milwaukee’s other unemployed workers.
Perhaps the agency could start with the 8 PIC employees, front line staff who worked with unemployed and dislocated workers, Randall laid off recently due to lack of funds!
Randall, who unsuccessfully fought Mayor Barrett’s effort to transfer control of millions of federal workforce dollars from the county to the city, has landed on his feet quite nicely thank you.
He will be the paid $61,000 for six months as the city of Milwaukee PIC’s assistant CEO.
Let’s give the Barrett administration its due. If the Randall placement is a model, the city’s workforce development agency will not only train and place dislocated workers, it will create family supporting jobs! Who even knew there was a shortage of assistant CEO’s?
Randall, like all dislocated workers, will experience some job skidding, ecospeak for the fact that most dislocated workers who find new jobs are generally paid significantly less than they previously earned. But spare Randall your tears since his 6 month salary is almost twice the area’s annual median income of $35,765.
Randall’s salary will no doubt help the new agency’s placement data-raising the average wage of all Milwaukee PIC placements as soon as the new workforce development agency starts placing Milwaukee’s other unemployed workers.
Perhaps the agency could start with the 8 PIC employees, front line staff who worked with unemployed and dislocated workers, Randall laid off recently due to lack of funds!
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