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DWD is the state agency charged with building and strengthening Wisconsin's workforce. more about DWD
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Department
of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman unveiled an art
exhibit celebrating Wisconsin's diverse and talented workforce and welcomed
the public to view the photographs by Wisconsin artists in an event in the
state office building housing DWD on September 8.
T
he
art exhibit was developed in collaboration with the Wisconsin Arts Board as
part of Wisconsin's Percent for Art Program. Established in 1980, the
program ensures that art has a place in public buildings and settings.
Pictured top photo, from left: Chris Manke, Percent for Art Coordinator; George Tzougros, Arts Board Executive Director; DWD Secretary Roberta Gassman. Pictured bottom photo, from left: Linda Brazy, DWD, Selection Committee and Jeri Krohn, Arts Board Secretary.
Secretary
Gassman joined Governor Doyle and other Cabinet members for his 6th annual
Up North tour the week of August 10th. The tour provided an opportunity for
the Governor and Cabinet members to spend time in communities of northern
Wisconsin, meet with residents and hear their concerns, needs and priorities
for the state. Among the highlights was a visit to Ashland Industries, a
global manufacturer of earthmoving equipment.
While
in Ashland, Secretary Gassman visited Ashland Memorial Medical Center, where
she met three individuals who changed course and began new careers as health
care workers, thanks to services funded by DWD and provided by its regional
partner, Northwest CEP, Inc. She also learned from MMC how 211 health care
workers at the hospital benefited from a safe lifting grant. Health care
workers at MMC and two other hospitals in the region received training in
safe ways to move patients and avoid injuring themselves and their patients.
For more on the MMC event, read the DWD MMC news release.
At
another stop in Ashland, Secretary Gassman met Tim Zwetow, a former consumer
of vocational rehabilitation services, who now has his own business,
Voyageur Unlimited, LLC. His company makes canoe paddles for the Boy Scouts
of America, boundary waters outfitters and other customers. Voyageur
Unlimited also makes souvenir paddles.
Secretary
Gassman also visited two employers in Superior that benefited from Workforce
Advancement Training Grants, awarded by DWD’s partner in workforce
development, the Wisconsin Technical College System. At Charter Films, she
learned how the company used its WAT grant to develop a training course that
workers can take in a computer lab. As they complete each segment and
advance, they receive an increase in pay.
At
the CLM Corporation in Superior, Secretary Gassman visited the control room
with Plant Manager Phil Marquis (right). Limestone from Midwest quarries is
fired in the Culter-Magner Company kilns to produce lime used for a variety
of purposes, such as treating water, making paper and manufacturing steel.
Governor
Doyle was joined by Secretary Gassman in awarding four employees of Federal Tool &
Engineering, LLC, in Cedarburg, certificates for successfully completing
training in the national Manufacturing Skill Standards Certification
program. The rigorous program consists of four training modules. As MSSC
Certified Production Technicians, the four employees are qualified for high
skill jobs in advanced manufacturing.
As
part of his Grow Wisconsin plan, Governor Doyle has set a goal of having 40
percent of Wisconsin’s production workers achieve MSSC standing by 2016.
David Tomczek, President of Federal Tool & Engineering, said the firm’s
investment in worker training made the difference in winning a contract
worth $1.5 million in new business. The firm employs 47 workers and plans to
hire at least five more as a result of the new contract.
During a visit to Federal Tool & Engineer, Governor Doyle also saluted the national MSSC on its 10 anniversary. He presented a commendation to Leo Reddy, Chief Executive Officer of MSSC.
Governor Jim Doyle announced that individuals in Monroe County affected by severe storms and floods that began on June 5, 2008 will be eligible to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).
In all, thirty counties have been declared eligible for DUA. Workers in those counties have 30 days to apply for assistance. Deadlines for affected counties are as follows:
More in DWD News.
Secretary Gassman met the future workers of Wisconsin during Governor Doyle’s “Capital for the Day” tour of Kenosha County on June 12.
Among
the highlights was a visit to the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, where First
Lady Jessica Doyle, Secretary Gassman, and Secretary Reggie Bicha of the new
Department of Children and Families met with about 30 club members. The
First Lady urged them to consider taking the Wisconsin Covenant pledge,
while Secretary Gassman announced the start of the 2009 Safety Calendar Art
Contest.
Secretary Gassman also visited LakeView Technology Academy, a Project Lead the Way Wisconsin model for its pre-engineering program, where students demonstrated a robot they built for a national robotics competition.
Finally, Secretary Gassman visited the Horizon Center for Transportation Technology at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, where she met students training to become automotive diagnostic technicians.
Secretary Gassman awarded an Emerging Industries Skills Partnership (EISP) grant of $85,000 to the Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board an $85,000 grant to train over 100 workers for timber industry jobs and position the region for production of cellulose-based ethanol from wood fiber.
During a visit to the Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board’s 6th annual Business Development Conference at Lakewoods Resort in Cable, she announced the grant, which is part of Governor Doyle’s Grow Wisconsin – The Next Steps plan.
Read the original announcement or view previous Bio-Tech Grant Announcements
Secretary
Roberta Gassman met with 8th graders at Cherokee Middle School to
talk to them about the importance of Governor Jim Doyle’s Wisconsin
Covenant, which promises students a place in higher
education, and a financial aid package based on their family’s
financial need provided they work hard in high school and make the
grade.
Wisconsin Covenant press release
The
Department of Workforce Development and the College of Menominee
Nation (CMN) signed an agreement on Thursday, May 1, paving the way
to better collaboration on provision of services to tribal members
in the region.
The Native American Vocational Rehabilitation project will be funded for five years through the U.S. Department of Education. The agreement provides for collaboration, cross training, resource sharing and technical assistance among other services between CMN and the DWD Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. CMN President Verna Fowler and state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator Charlene Dwyer signed the agreement.
Shawano Leader DWD-CMN Agreement News Story
As part of his Grow Wisconsin - The Next Steps, Governor Jim Doyle announced today the start of the “Real Work for Real Pay” pilot project that will place W-2 participants in real jobs, where they can earn a pay check, gain work experience and develop the skills needed to remain employed and become self sufficient.
W-2 Pilot Project press release
Secretaries of two state agencies and the leader of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board today announced the selection of job training agencies for a new $400,000 employment and training pilot project to prepare unemployed and under-employed individuals for demand-driven jobs in the Milwaukee area, such as in advanced manufacturing and health care.
Read the press releaseSecretary Gassman toured Waukesha County April 9 -10 to meet with local citizens and local government and business leaders as part of Governor Doyle’s “Capital Days.”
Secretary Gassman joined the Governor, First Lady Jessica Doyle and members of the Cabinet for the two day swing, fanning out across the county to ensure the views of Waukesha County residents are heard in Madison. (click photos to enlarge)
Inland
Graphics, Menomonee Falls – Secretary Gassman meets with
officials from Inland Graphics and Youth Apprentice Kelly
McGinnis (center) to discuss the company’s YA program in
printing.
Kelly is in her second year as a Youth Apprentice at Inland, where she learns printing, graphic design and publishing skills through a partnership with Waukesha County Technical College.
Arrowhead
High School, Hartland – Secretary Gassman surveys the
menu at Café Arrowhead, a student run catering business.
Café Arrowhead is mainly for students with cognitive
disabilities. The students plan the menu, cook the food and
serve the customers at the café. To the Secretary’s right is
John Hough, Special Education Teacher.
InPro, Corporation, Muskego – Governor Doyle and Secretary
Gassman answer questions from manufacturing workers at InPro,
one of the world’s top manufacturers of interior and
exterior architectural products.
Governor
Doyle speaks to workers enrolled as students in the
Manufacturing Skills Standards Certification (MSSC) program,
which is taught on site at InPro through Waukesha County
Technical College. The courses help workers upgrade their
skills, and gain MSSC certification, a passport to jobs of
the future in manufacturing.
Generac
Power Systems, Waukesha – Secretary Gassman meets with
students enrolled in the Second Chance Youth Apprentice
program at Generac. The students are gaining real work
experience at Generac, a leading manufacturer of commercial
generators.
The Second Chance program brings credit deficient students into the work environment and allows them to complete their high school requirements at an area business, while earning wages. The program blends traditional course instruction and real work experience and has been successful in redirecting students toward more positive life choices.
Governor Doyle unveiled Grow Wisconsin -- The Next Steps -- in January. This package of initiatives will take our economy to the next level. These initiatives will not only accelerate Wisconsin now, but provide investments that will sustain growth for generations to come.
The Governor's plan will prepare Wisconsin's traditional industries to compete in the global economy with efficiency and innovation. It will also provide Opportunity Grants to low-income working adults not eligible for technical college financial aid, expand partnerships in workforce development, and expand successful training programs like youth and adult apprenticeship to develop a highly-skilled workforce, among many other initiatives.
"Jobs of the Future" is Governor Doyle's major job creation initiative that will build partnerships between businesses and schools so that Wisconsin youth
and workers are trained for the high-tech job market.
learn more about Jobs of the Future
On July 1, 2008 the programs listed below moved from DWD to the new Department of Children and Families.
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