FVTC, UW-Oshkosh hope to meet need for more pilots
From thenorthwestern.com: "FVTC, UW-Oshkosh hope to make a dent in projected pilot gap" — By Noell Dickmann – A dark cloud is looming above the aviation industry: A predicted shortage of pilots by 2022 will affect everyone who travels by air.
Jared Huss, Fox Valley Technical College Aeronautics Pilot Training Lead Instructor, said a shortage of pilots will mean fewer planes in the air and fewer seats for passengers – pushing up the cost of air travel.
"Everything's kind of pointing to that perfect storm of that happening," Huss said.
In response to the shortage, colleges are making changes to get more pilots into the work force faster. In Oshkosh, FVTC and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh established a partnership to help meet the demand for pilots.
Huss said there are a number of reasons for the shortage, including mandatory retirements and duty time regulation changes in the wake of Continental Flight 3407s crash into a house near Buffalo, N.Y. in 2009 that killed 50.
Pilots must now have more uninterrupted rest between flights and are required to have an ATP license, or Airline Transport Pilot license, which mandates 1,500 flight hours as a pilot. Regional airlines could previously hire pilots with 250 hours, but now legally cannot, Huss said.
The 1,500-hour qualification poses a problem for pilot-training graduates, who in general come out of aeronautics programs with 250-300 flight hours.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) forecasts that 18,000 pilots from major airlines in the United States will reach mandatory retirement age by 2022. The GAO also forecasts that regional airlines will need about 4,500 pilots per year for the next decade to fill the void.
However, studies show the flight-training industry can only support between 2,500-3,000 pilots per year.
To help fill that void, graduates from two-year schools with programs that are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration can qualify for a restricted ATP at 1,250 hours instead.
FVTC is applying for that certification. Students will have the option to graduate with a technical diploma in two years, and can return for a third year to earn their associate's degree and flight instructor certificate. The changes will give FVTC the ability to double its capacity, graduating an average of 16 pilots per year.
"I realize that when there's a demand for 4,500 pilots a year that's…a drop in the bucket, but we're doing what we can to stretch that and grow our capacity," Huss said. "And if all the other flight training programs out there can do something similar to scale, then hopefully we can ramp it up for the need."
The typical path of graduates is to go on to be a flight instructor and build the hours they need, then move up to a regional airline, continuing to build hours and work their way up to a major airline.
"We send graduates all over, anywhere from those commercial type of jobs, like [pilots for] the skydiver, crop dusting, aerial photography, all the way up to corporate pilot and airline pilot as well," Huss said.
In the long run, a new collaboration with UWO could be recognized for a restricted ATP at 1,000 hours as well.
The partnership between the schools allows FVTC graduates to earn a Bachelor of Applied Studies degree with an emphasis in aviation management from UWO online, and they can do it while they're working. It allows them to get in the work force sooner and build more flight time.
Take Kodye Shier, who graduated from FVTC in 2011 and went on to be a paid flight instructor intern at FVTC for two years. He built up about 1,000 hours of flight experience, and is now a corporate pilot for Menards based in Eau Claire.
Originally from Rice Lake, the 24-year-old now has 1,600 flight hours under his wings and flies Menards staff all over the Midwest on a daily basis.
He said taking the route he did has put him ahead – on average he has about 250 more flight hours than other pilots he sees with the same level of experience.
Shier is working part-time toward his bachelor's degree through the online program with UWO. He said the degree will help him when looking for jobs.
"I think with aviation timing is everything," Shier said. "And I feel like where I'm at right now is a very comfortable spot as far as timing."
Huss said not all FVTC graduates want to be airline pilots – actually, he sees many going the corporate route like Shier did for stability.
"We just want to have our program and partnership with UW-Oshkosh to be as best set up as possible so that if our graduates want to go that route, that they're set up and ready to go as best as they can."
Filed in aviation, careers, FVTC, jobs, partnership, responsiveness to employers, technical college
Tags: Aeronautics pilot training, airline pilot shortage, aviation training, Fox Valley Technical College
FVTC receives $3.6M state jobs grant to expand classes
From postcrescent.com: "FVTC receives $3.6M state jobs grant to expand classes" — GRAND CHUTE – Fox Valley Technical College will use a $3.6 million grant from the Wisconsin Fast Forward program to train workers for high-demand fields including transportation, health care, manufacturing and logistics.
FVTC president Susan May said the money will allow the college to train up to 856 workers with the technical skills needed in today's regional economy. FVTC will train additional truck drivers, personal care workers, production welders, automation technology workers, operations specialists and phlebotomists.
"Fox Valley Technical College and the Wisconsin Technical College System are incredibly passionate about building skills for careers that are in demand, both locally and around the state," May said in a statement. "Economic development needs partnerships that are innovative and strategically aligned with the intricacies of a new economy. "
Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, who was at FVTC's Grand Chute campus Wednesday to award the grant, said the money will help address the skills gap in Wisconsin.
"The investments we are making in Fox Valley Technical College under Gov. Walker's leadership will enhance opportunities for working families in the Fox Valley region and help employers find the workers they need," Kleefisch said in a statement.
The money comes from Walker's Blueprint for Prosperity initiative, which provided more than $35 million to expand the Department of Workforce Development-operated Wisconsin Fast Forward program. The initiative focuses on reducing the waiting lists at state technical colleges for high-demand fields, increasing opportunities for high school students to earn industry-recognized credentials and enhancing job opportunities for workers with disabilities.
Technical colleges submitted lists of programs for grant consideration earlier this year.
Filed in access, FVTC, jobs, responsiveness to employers, truck driving, welding, Wisconsin Fast Forward, worker training grants
Tags: automation technology, Blueprint for Prosperity, Fast Forward grants, Fox Valley Technical College, phlebotomy, truck drivers, welding, workforce development
Colleges, businesses team up on new engineering technology degree
From insightonmfg.com: "Collaborating on success: Colleges, businesses team up on new engineering technology degree" — by MaryBeth Matzek – Input and feedback from regional manufacturers played an integral role in an innovative education program rolling out this fall at 13 educational institutions in the New North.
Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance, a consortium of New North schools, announced plans last year to create a regional bachelor's degree program in engineering technology. The program allows students to enter at any of the NEW ERA schools and then finish up the program at University of Wisconsin campuses in Green Bay and Oshkosh. The degree program is the first of its kind in Wisconsin and fills an important void for employers.
"These are important skills manufacturers need to fill. We have jobs for students coming out with these degrees," says Scott Kettler, general manager of Plexus' manufacturing facilities in Neenah. "It's been a great collaboration between educational institutions and businesses how they came together to address the need."
Collaboration also was a must between the participating schools. Led by UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells, who retires in August, Fox Valley Technical College President Susan May and other college leaders, NEW ERA members looked at the available offerings and worked together on creating the new program.
The three new bachelor's degrees being offered are in electrical engineering technology, environmental engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology. The degrees were approved earlier this year by the UW Board of Regents and the Higher Learning Commission, opening the door to students to enroll in the program starting this fall. The degrees use programs and classes already in place at participating schools, which created new classes to fill in the gaps.
Employers helped craft the program by participating in listening sessions and advisory committees, says Greg Kleinheinz, associate dean of the College of Letters and Sciences and director of the Environmental Research and Innovation Center at UW-Oshkosh.
"We talked to them and listened to their needs. We worked with them on how to tailor the program and what it should include," he says.
That kind of feedback is important, Kettler says. "Manufacturers were asked what kind of skills we were looking for and helped develop the curriculum," he says. "That way, the students coming out will be right for what's needed."
The new program differs from current offerings in the New North, Kleinheinz adds. Engineering technicians are more hands-on than a traditional engineer who may be concerned with design, but have more in-depth studies, such as in management, than students who pursue an associate's degree at a local technical college.
Kleinheinz predicts there will be two types of students who enroll in the program: those already possessing an associate's degree from a technical college who are out in the workforce and want to receive their bachelor's degree; and a traditional student who may start the program at a local technical college or two-year UW school before finishing up in Oshkosh or Green Bay.
"In many cases, I'm guessing we'll have students coming out of technical colleges with an associate's degree, get a job and then the employer will help pay for this program so they can further their education and expand their skills," he says. "It will be a win-win for employer and employee."
While all program graduates will be in high demand, the ones with the environmental engineering technology degree will especially be sought after since that is a new and growing field, Kleinheinz says. A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 14 percent increase in environmental engineering technology positions between 2010 and 2020. Students with that degree can find work in industries outside of manufacturing, including biotechnology, water and wastewater management and agribusiness.
In Wisconsin, only UW-Stout and the Milwaukee School of Engineering offer bachelor's degrees in engineering technology.
"You're taking that technical skills base and adding more analytical thinking and problem-solving skills," Kettler says. "Those are all important skills to have in addition to that applied, hands-on education. It's great we are able to develop and nurture these skills in the region."
NEW ERA Members
In the new engineering technology program, students may enter at any of the 13 NEW ERA colleges including: College of the Menominee Nation, Fox Valley Technical College, Lakeshore Technical College, Moraine Park Technical College, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, University of Wisconsin Extension, UW-Fond du Lac, UW-Fox Valley, UW-Green Bay, UW-Manitowoc, UW-Marinette, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Sheboygan.
Filed in FVTC, LTC, manufacturing engineers, MPTC, new programs, NWTC, responsiveness to employers, technical college, Wisconsin workforce development
Tags: electrical engineering technology degree, engineering technology degree, environmental engineering technology, Fox Valley Technical College, Lakeshore Technical College, mechanical engineering technology, Moraine Park Technical College, Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin technical colleges
NTC adding more instructors to meet employer demand
From waow.com: "Wausau's Northcentral Technical College hiring more teachers" — A central Wisconsin college is adding jobs to help students prepare for the working world.
Northcentral Technical College is looking to fill about 30 positions.
Darren Ackley, the dean of the Technical and Trades Division, said there are more jobs out there than NTC graduates can fill.
He says adding more instructors means they'll be able to teach more students skills that are in demand.
"Our business community has been telling us that we need more welders, we need diesel technicians, we need [certified nursing assistants], we need nurses," said Jeannie Worden, the vice president of college advancement. "We know in our IT area that we do not have enough graduates for the IT jobs that are there. Welding, we know, is the same issue."
The leaders of NTC want to fill that need.
"We go out to our employers to find out what their hiring needs are," Worden said.
"We definitely try to take notes from them on what we need to do and try to accommodate however we can," said Ackley.
Part of their solution is to add about 30 new positions, including around 10 teachers.
"We're really focusing on increasing the number of students we can accommodate here and with that, we need more instructors, so we're definitely having an exciting time here where we're hiring lots of people," Ackley said.
Ackley says they're looking for "somebody that has some occupational experience that has been out in the industry, working, that knows what they're doing out there."
It's a quality students say is helpful in the classroom.
"They have worked for huge companies or they have been managers in other states here," said Adelio Ortiz, a student from El Salvador. "They not only bring the theory of the class, they bring real experience."
It prepares students for life after college because Ackley says they can tailor the curriculum to what the industry needs are.
To help pay for these new positions, the school received a $6 million grant from the federal government.
Filed in instructors, NTC, responsiveness to employers, technical college
Tags: instructors, jobs, Northcentral Technical College, responsiveness to employers
Tech colleges collaborate with UW-Oshkosh to meet employer demand
From thenorthwestern.com: "University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh among partners for new engineering degrees" — The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will soon be one of two four-year UW institutions to offer a new collaborative degree program aimed at meeting the demands of local employers.
Members of the Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance announced Wednesday the creation of Bachelor of Science programs in electrical, mechanical and environmental engineering technology developed by faculty members at the alliance's 13 institutions and colleges and regional manufacturers.
The program aims to make the training more accessible to students in northeast Wisconsin and to fulfill a growing need in the region for "well-prepared engineering graduates."
UWO, along with UW-Green Bay, will serve as the four-year institutions where students can finish the program and earn their degrees, although students can begin their academic studies at any of the 13 NEW ERA institutions and colleges, said UWO Chancellor Richard Wells, who also serves as founding chairman of the alliance.
"That's what makes it especially exciting and innovative and very accessible both for people who already have, say, an associate degree and extensive work experience as well students coming in right out of our high schools in the state of Wisconsin," Wells said.
A consortium of executives from the region's four technical colleges, five UW two-year colleges, two comprehensive universities, the College of the Menominee Nation and the UW Extension, NEW ERA serves as a vehicle for collaboration among higher learning institutions, economic and workforce development agencies and business.
The new degree programs will teach students the skills necessary to become engineering technologists in a variety of industries including manufacturing, construction, operational engineering, water and waste-water management, agribusiness, biotechnology and engineering service firms.
Through the use of existing laboratory facilities, such as UWO's Environmental Research and Innovation Center, technical college instructors and university professors alike will be able to build on existing associate degree programs in hopes of supporting employees and employers in manufacturing and other industry sectors, said Mark Weber, dean of trades and engineering technologies at Green Bay-based Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.
Although many manufacturers in northeast Wisconsin already employ such graduates, they often lack a connection to the region and in some cases, the state, Weber said.
"Unfortunately, they were coming from universities outside of our region," he said. "Additionally, several employers have indicated that they are encouraging many of their existing employees to return to school to complete these new programs."
The effort serves as an example of the positive work higher education institutions can accomplish when they collaborate toward a common goal, said John Short, CEO and dean of UW-Fond du Lac.
"We were able to work together to meet the needs of our area," Short said, noting leaders will continue to work with employers and others in the region to adapt to their changing needs. "This program is truly unique. It breaks down barriers, it brings together partners and it really meets the economic development needs of this area of the state."
Filed in access, engineering, jobs, new programs, partnership, responsiveness to employers, technical college
Tags: engineering degrees, engineering technologists, higher education partnership, responsive to employers
New law expands use of Workforce Advancement Training grants
From lacrossetribune.com: "Job training law to help businesses compete globally, Doyle says" — ONALASKA — A law incubated in La Crosse will hatch jobs throughout Wisconsin and enhance Badger State employers' ability to be global players, said author Rep. Steve Doyle.
The law, which Gov. Scott Walker signed in April and repeated at a ceremonial signing at Crescent Printing Co. in Onalaska Friday, expands Workforce Advancement Training grants to technical colleges.
"Current use of WAT grants is too limited for many businesses to make use of them," said Doyle, an Onalaska Democrat. "This proposal was designed to help companies compete in new markets by expanding the way these grants can be used."
Established in 2005, the state-funded WAT grants are administered by the Wisconsin Technical College System, which awards them to the state's 16 tech schools to train companies' current employees.
That differentiates them from programs to train new employees and allows businesses to advance their workers' skills, Walker said.
Roger Bjorge, president of the fourth-generation company Crescent Printing, said, "It's an opportunity for our employees to take classes to get further training."
The company, which Bjorge co-owns with Bill Lund, has 45 employees, Bjorge said.
Grants previously were allowed for businesses with no more than 100 employees or $10 million in gross annual income. The new law expands the programs to businesses with up to 250 employees and allows grants to tech schools to help business expand their markets or diversify.
"This diversification will ultimately result in job growth," Doyle said.
The grants range from $2,500 to $200,000 a company for general businesses and $2,500 to $50,000 for small businesses.
The grants provided about $17.6 million to help hundreds of employers train more than 77,000 workers across the state by the end of fiscal year 2012.
La Crosse economic development professionals helped formulate the law at a roundtable that included representatives of Western Technical College, Workforce Connections, the La Cross Area Chamber of Commerce, the La Crosse Area Development Corp. and other members of the Seven Rivers Alliance, as well as Doyle and Sen. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse.
Doyle authored the measure in the Assembly and asked Shilling to sponsor it in the upper chamber, and she enlisted Republican Sen. Joseph Leibham of Sheboygan as primary author, while she became secondary author.
"I give her a lot of credit for getting something done without getting credit," Doyle said.
The bill passed the Legislature with nearly unanimous bipartisan support. Out of 380 bills the Legislature passed this past session, only 31 had Democrats as primary authors.
"Jobs creation is not a partisan issue, and I was happy to work with both sides of the aisle to make sure this bill became law," Doyle said.
Filed in contract training, customized training, jobs, partnership, responsiveness to employers
Tags: incumbent worker training, WAT grants, Wisconsin law, Wisconsin Technical College System, workforce development
Advanced Manufacturing Partnership addressing shortage of skilled welders
From biztimes.com: "Fill the skills gap" — by Cary Silverstein – A question constantly asked by business people and the unemployed is: "What are we doing to close the skillset gap in Wisconsin?"
The answer lies in businesses and the community getting together to solve this "gap." According to Competitive Wisconsin Inc.'s Be Bold 2 study by ManpowerGroup, the unmet demand for metal workers, including welders, is expected to reach 7,101 by 2016. Should these positions remain unfilled, it is estimated that state and local government lost revenues could amount to $265,410,915 over a 10-year job lifecycle.
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Wisconsin, a non-profit 501(c)(3) established more than 40 years ago, has developed a new generation training solution that addresses the growing skilled worker shortage in the greater Milwaukee, Wausau, Fox Valley and Green Bay regions. It is called the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.
The HCCW has developed this partnership with Miller Electric Mfg. Co., Monarch Corp., Joy Global, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, technical colleges, government agencies and private foundations with the intent of solving the critical shortage of skilled welders in Wisconsin. Together, they have created a unique employer-approved education and training program, which addresses this shortage in a manner that benefits the underserved low to moderate income (LMI) workers who are often unemployed/underemployed and who are often constituents of the HCCW. This program is not exclusive to any ethnicity, and is open to any state resident.
This HCCW Training Initiative is an anti-poverty solution that connects unemployed and under employed workers with accredited welding skills development and training at no cost to trainees. This program offers a pathway to a higher paying career in welding at an accelerated pace. The median starting pay for skilled welding positions is $35,450 a year. This is a paid training program that takes up to 16 weeks to complete. The participants are immediately job eligible upon completion of the program. This is followed by ongoing on-the-job training to enhance their newly acquired skills.
This initiative differentiates itself by including essential life skills training for participants, including time management and punctuality, critical thinking and problem solving, financial education and communication skills. This program is designed to supply workforce-ready candidates who are able to step into entry-level welding positions. Participants will complete essential life skills training in a mentorship-based support group setting before advancing to the employer-approved welder training course provided by the tech colleges.
What makes this program different?
Solving the skilled welder shortage isn't just providing technical training. A true solution involves addressing those issues (substance abuse and a lack of essential life skills) which ultimately disqualify someone from employment. This unique program has three primary components: a support system program with trainee mentorship, essential life skills training and technical skills training via technical college partners.
The HCCW provides employer-approved essential life skills training to each candidate including:
Time management and punctuality
First impressions/building relationships
Maintaining a household budget
Communication skills (may include English language instruction)
Technical training is provided by area technical colleges via an employer-approved training curriculum. The 14 to 16 week curriculum includes basic welding, blueprint reading and weld symbols, math, and manufacturing techniques.
Projected results of the initiative
This initiative produces an individual that is responsible, punctual, accountable and reliable, with a strong work ethic and a drive to succeed. These candidates are ready to enter the job market with all the skills necessary for entry level welding positions. The technical college credentials earned in this program are transferable and can be used to attain further, more complex welding credentials. This initiative simplifies and eases the rigors of the traditional hiring process, which permits the employers to review a candidate's metrics and a trainee's video profile. Also, they can hire an employee with a proven track record, worthy of further training investment.
The HCCW Training Initiative is a real solution to the shortage of skilled welders. By providing essential life skills and technical training, candidates are able to obtain well-paying jobs. This initiative facilitates upward economic mobility for the LMI constituents served by the program. Once employed in an entry level position, these new employees have the opportunity for further employer training and tuition reimbursement programs. The result is they strengthen themselves and their employers through the adoption of life-long earning skills. The dual nature of this program will help the unemployed/underemployed while providing sorely needed skilled workers, keeping Wisconsin's manufacturers strong. This training initiative recently received national recognition and substantial funding by the American Welding Society after their review of the program. The HCCW Training Initiative is now considered to be the top AWS skills development program in the nation.
If this pilot project proves successful, we as business communities should duplicate it across the board in our state. Closing the skillset gap in this and other vocational areas will strengthen our economy and bring new jobs to our communities, while reducing unemployment in areas where few opportunities exist. The resources, both educational and technical, exist in our community. We need to leverage these resources and provide the unemployed with new skills so they can rejoin the workforce and provide a better standard of living for themselves and their families.
The HCCW says its partners report that in the Racine-Kenosha manufacturing sector there are more than 1,000 skilled worker vacancies. Filling the local manufacturing sector's jobs would contribute to the state and local economy year after year.
Companies interested in joining this program should contact the Hispanic Chamber at skillstraining@HCCW.org.
Filed in jobs, partnership, responsiveness to employers, skilled workers, technical college, welding
Tags: career pathway, Fox Valley, Green Bay, Milwaukee, skills gap, Wausau, welding