Many of the manufacturers in the Northwoods are creating highly specialized products. That means the many of the skills being taught at Nicolet College need to meet that specialized need.
“We always ask in the technical college, ‘Should we be the industry leaders, or should we be responding to industry needs?’ And the answer is both,” said Jeff Labs, the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs. “We really need the partnership to kind of rely on one another to keep those skilled trades and keep those jobs current with all of the competition.”
Keeping up with the technology needs has been a challenge.
Sometimes once the college recognizes a need for a piece of an equipment, it can be two or three years before they get funding and get the piece in house.
Labs says this becomes even more challenging as costs continue to rise.
“How are we going to support those moving those programs forward and keeping them, again, in line with those workforce needs,” said Labs.
One possible solution Nicolet is trying out this semester is partnering with four-year universities like UW Platteville.
It offers a remote engineering program with the exception of some lab work.
Instead of having students drive four hours south to Platteville, the university sent a large wind tunnel to Nicolet College to set up as a remote lab for the class.
“One of the challenges associated with those remote labs is equipment,” said Nicolet College Dean of University Transfer and Liberal Arts Gary Zarda. “Between Platteville and Nicolet College, we seek to provide that equipment to stand up those labs, but that's something that we'll have to resource in the future.”
Nicolet College has also partnered with local high schools to offer engineering course work or dual enrollment opportunities, but again cost can be a barrier especially for some of the smaller districts in the area.
Zarda say programs like this are key to retaining a local workforce.
“In recent conversations with some of our employee partners, one of the things that they've stressed is that the more that we can educate future engineers in our district, the more likely they are to stay,” said Zarda. “They've struggled with engineers that come from other areas coming here and then ultimately moving on. So, it behooves us to serve students in our district and to give them those opportunities right here.”
Zarda made the comments during Governor Tony Evers’ visit Nicolet College last week. He was there to learn about the manufacturing and engineering programs.
Evers said he would have liked to see technical colleges get more state funding for things like the work they’re doing with high schools.
“I just think it's something that we've talked about a lot and never got anything accomplished, and so maybe we can continue doing that and get something done this time,” said Evers, whose term as Governor ends in January.
Evers visited Nicolet along with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Secretary as part of “Manufacturing Month”.
