Chippewa Valley Technical College recently received approval from the Wisconsin Technical College System for three Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) grants totaling $272,310 for fiscal 2013. With leadership and coordination from the CVTC Business and Industry team, these grants increase investment in the development of incumbent workers, improve Wisconsin businesses’ productivity and competitiveness, augment the state’s economic base and expand technical college training services to businesses and industry.
“The grants discount regular training costs by 65 percent, which allows employers to invest in training their workforce and reach higher productivity, possible job growth and individual employee advancement through training with CVTC,” says Roxann Vanderwyst, Menomonie Campus Manager.
Training under these grants must focus on occupational skills, but may include a combination of occupational, academic and employability topics or courses. Funding is still available and may be applied for at any time in the Small Business category of WAT grants. Interested employers should complete the Request for Consideration found on the CVTC Business and Industry website–www.ProvenImpact.org.
Critical Care Manufacturing Skills (CCMS)
CVTC will provide CCMS and/or supervisory skills training to a consortium of 27 companies in the Chippewa Valley area. This is the third year of this project, targeted to upgrade the productivity of the incumbent manufacturing and nonmanufacturing workforce. The project is expanding this year to include manufacturers from Dunn and Clark counties, as well as Chippewa Falls/ Eau Claire area employers. Feedback from participating manufacturers and from the participants led to requesting the addition of manufacturing related supervisory courses.
Certified Welding Inspection Training at PDM Bridge
CVTC will provide Certified Welding Inspection training for up to 30 employees at PDM Bridge, LLC, in Eau Claire. Certified Welding Inspectors are needed on site throughout the manufacturing process. The 60-hour Certified Welding Inspection preparation training program will better prepare employees seeking to move into the Certified Welding Inspection certification process.
Automated Manufacturing and Fabrication Consortium
This project represents the continuation and expansion of a WAT grant that started in Dunn County, originally designed for three employers; 3M, ConAgra Foods, and Cardinal FG. The Automated Manufacturing and Fabrication Consortium now provides training to more than 100 employees from nine companies, including: 3M, Andersen Corporation, Badger Iron Works, Wal-Mart Distribution, ConAgra Foods, Cardinal FG, Bear Valley Electric (all Dunn County); Cascades Tissue (Eau Claire County); and TTM (Chippewa County). The training program will allow maintenance technicians and associates to gain the necessary skills to better troubleshoot, respond and eliminate down time in their respective organizations, resulting in higher company productivity and a reduction in turnover.
Sajan, Inc.
Sajan, Inc. is the leading global provider of cloud-based translation software and service and provides innovative software solutions for leading manufacturing companies. CVTC will provide Sajan, Inc. with additional training on programs such as Excel, Outlook, InDesign, Framemaker, and languages such as HTML/XHTML and XML. “Our employees encounter a wide variety of different technologies and file types,” comments Shannon Zimmerman, CEO. “Their ability to do their jobs will be enhanced with this additional training and experience.”
Vanderwyst says the WAT grant program has repeatedly received bi-partisan political support “because it has results that can be seen in employer success as a result of partnering with their local technical college.”
Tim Shepardson, CVTC Chippewa Falls Campus manager and business & industry representative, was recently interviewed by WQOW TV in connection with the WATS grant. His interview can be viewed here.