An update from the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin
SPRING NEWSLETTER
Hello! 

Welcome to the spring 2016 edition of the WDBSCW newsletter! We wanted to give you an inside look at some brand new projects that we've been working on. Plus, we'll also provide  updates on major projects happening in the world of workforce development.

There are new grant awards , upcoming special events and a few projects in the works that we want you to know about. Be sure to   watch a quick video  on our construction training academy. Plus, see our progress with our jail-based job center and pilot projects to help inmates find employment. And take a moment to read how we're helping workers affected by the Oscar Mayer plant closing . We've got more in the works, so stay tuned for future updates!

Thank you for your partnership and support in building a stronger talent pipeline right here in South Central Wisconsin.


Pat Schramm, WDBSCW CEO
Mark your calendars:
Middle College Graduation

Please join us in honoring our culinary, healthcare and manufacturing students of the Middle College at their graduation ceremonies!

May 18, 2016 / 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Moraine Park Technical College / Beaver Dam

May 19, 2016 / 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Madison College -Truax Campus / Madison

Graduation Information
MMSD Logo
GrantAwardIn the Media:
Madison Schools and Partners Awarded National Grant for Personalized Learning

The Madison Metropolitan School District, together with Madison College, the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin, the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce and the City of Madison, announced on April 15th that the partnership has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the Joyce Foundation for the creation of personalized pathways to graduation in high schools.

RapidResponseRapid Response: Help Comes to Workers at Oscar Mayer 
(Kraft-Heinz)

Part of our workforce development role is to help workers affected by company downsizing or closings. And with the announcement of the Oscar Mayer production facility and its Kraft office closing in Madison, more than 1,000 workers may need our help.

We've been working closely with Oscar Mayer, its parent company, Kraft-Heinz, and our workforce partners to offer informational sessions to affected workers. During the sessions, we cover information on employment, training and community services available to help them. 

More than 200 Kraft and Oscar Mayer employees have already sought help and attended a Rapid Response session. What's more, we've gotten an overwhelming response from the business community. Well over 50 companies have reached out to us with reemployment opportunities for the affected workers.

Worth the Read
Meet the Graduates of the Foundations for the Trades Academy
Watch a 2-minute video on the Foundations program
FoundationsFoundations for the Trades Academy Readies Graduates for Construction Season

Thirteen new graduates are ready to work in the construction industry having successfully completed the 7-week construction training program better known as Foundations for the Trades. The training prepares participants with technical skills, certifications and work experience needed for entry-level jobs or apprenticeships.

Read the full article
Second GuidEd Event Pairs Educators with Dane County Manufacturers

Twenty-eight area educators hopped on a school bus with the WDBSCW to tour and meet with Dane County manufacturers on April 19, 2016 as part of GuidEd.

Stops were made at  SubZero/Wolf and  Royle Printing. Presentations from EVCO PlasticsMadison Kipp CorpCintas CorporationBell Laboratories, Inc.Webcrafters, Inc.Springs Window Fashions and Dickinson Manufacturing Solutions LLC were also part of the day's events. 

The stops were an opportunity for school counselors and technology  and engineering instructors to learn about career paths, post-secondary options for students, industry partnerships, hiring trends, relevant skills and labor market data directly from area companies.
Reducing Recidivism with a Jail-based Job Center and Pilot Training for Correctional Facility Inmates

WDBSCW, Dept. of Corrections Launch Pilot Project to Train Inmates Pre-Release

In conjunction with the Department of Corrections (DOC), we're piloting a customized 11-credit, Industrial Maintenance Academy at Madison College. The 12-week training has been customized to engage and train 15 inmates from the Thompson and Oregon Correctional Centers.

This is a unique project developed to help build an alternate pipeline of entry-level industrial maintenance workers. It's also an innovative way to up-skill inmates prior to release with skills to obtain high demand employment in the industry.

This pilot is being funded primarily though DOC funds with additional support from the WDBSCW. Madison College has extended its appreciation of all the resources, support, and time that has gone into setting up the IT infrastructure, ensuring security, and making sure these students have outstanding faculty, staff and administration supporting their future success.

" I want to thank you and everyone involved that made this [Industrial Maintenance Academy] all happen. I really appreciate the opportunity to experience college and how it works. I know that by completing this program, my future is going to be brighter. So again, thank you." 

- Dept. of Corrections Industrial Maintenance Academy Pilot participant
JailJobCenterDane County Jail-Based Job Center Update

In June 2015, the WDBSCW announced the receipt of a $500,000 Department of Labor award to ready inmates for employment prior to release. ( Read the news release.) 

We're excited to share that the project is heating up this spring with its first class of  inmates at the Dane County Jail. The seven inmates are getting help with workforce and education services to prepare them for release back into the community and the workforce. A second male class is set to run this spring and the team is recruiting for an all-female class to start by summer 2016.

Thanks for reading! 

Stay tuned for future updates on our work across the region. In the meantime, be sure visit www.wdbscw.org for announcements, events and news. You can also follow us on Facebook for more updates. 
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Our mission is to build public and private partnerships that support innovation and excellence in workforce development. 
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