Gov. Tony Evers announced 12 regional projects aimed at developing long-term solutions to Wisconsin’s workforce challenges will receive up to $59.5 million in grants.
The grants are part of the first round of the state’s $100 million Workforce Innovation Grant Program using resources available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). A second round of grants will be awarded in 2022.
“Wisconsin has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and we have high labor participation, but our state faces long-standing workforce challenges that existed for years before the pandemic,” said Gov. Evers.
Evers said there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all solution” to addressing workforce challenges within Wisconsin, so these funds “encourage regions and communities to develop cutting-edge, long-term solutions to the unique workforce challenges they face.”
Gov. Tony Evers, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes, and Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek, announced the projects Tuesday morning in Eau Claire.
Northeast Wisconsin regional projects that will benefit from the Workforce Innovation Grant Program include:
United Way of Door County | up to $3.5 Million
Serving Door County, United Way of Door County was awarded funds to make changes to two local nonprofit licensed group childcare facilities in the county.
Mid-State Technical College | up to $9 Million
Mid-State Technical College, Centergy, and their partners are building a regional collaboration to target 2,500 unemployed, underemployed, underserved communities and youth with skill training and support services in central Wisconsin, including Waushara County. This includes the construction of the Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering Technology, and Apprenticeship Center in the region.
University of Wisconsin Administration | up to $5.7 Million
The University of Wisconsin Prison Education Initiative (PEI) of the state Department of Corrections will deliver workforce-ready curriculum to teach employability skills to students while incarcerated and continue supporting them post-release through career placement. Piloting the program will engage six regions of the state including through UW-Oshkosh and UW-Green Bay.
Other projects include public-private partnerships to train and attract healthcare workers throughout rural Wisconsin; to develop next-generation advanced manufacturing employees in west-central and southeast Wisconsin; to create pipelines of young, educated workers in Milwaukee; to train construction and skilled craft workers throughout the state, among other projects.
