(Green Bay) – Two Northeast Wisconsin Technical College projects promise new educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for residents of the district’s north and central regions.
The new initiatives include a training partnership with Wausaukee, Pembine, and Crivitz High Schools and a kitchen incubator in the Town of Aurora. Project funding was approved last week by the NWTC District Board of Trustees during the board’s monthly meeting on the Green Bay campus.
“These cooperative efforts between NWTC and our northern communities demonstrate the college's commitment to our future,” said Jeff Rickaby, NWTC Board member and Florence County Sheriff. “The Wausaukee project will allow students to get a head start on their college education without the cost of travel and out-of-town lodging. The Florence County project will provide the foundation for small business development along with a strong emphasis in the educational process of small business.”
Both projects will be funded through NWTC’s current budget. Plans call for the initiatives to be completed and ready for area residents in spring 2010.
A Closer Look at the Projects
In partnership with Wausaukee, Pembine, and Crivitz High Schools, NWTC will bring automotive and welding career training directly to high school students and maximize the use of available resources within the district. The college will offer first semester courses from the Automotive Technology associate degree and Welding technical diploma programs at Wausaukee High School – allowing Wausaukee, Pembine, and Crivitz high school juniors and seniors to take technical education courses which will ladder into the NWTC programs. When the Wausaukee lab is not in use by the high school students, NWTC may use the space to train returning adult learners.
“NWTC continues to look at cost-effective ways to reach our learners throughout the district,” said Dr. H. Jeffrey Rafn, College President. “With this initiative, high school juniors and seniors will be able to take up to a full semester of credits in the Welding and Automotive Technology programs, thus reducing their cost of post-secondary education; and the adult learner population will have additional access to education.”
With the kitchen incubator, aspiring food business entrepreneurs will have a new way to grow their business. The incubator will be located within the now vacant Hillcrest Elementary School in the Town of Aurora in Florence County. This licensed kitchen facility will provide small scale food entrepreneurs the space to prepare and process food for consumer purchase. In addition, the entrepreneurs can participate in food safety classes as well as training in business development, marketing, packaging, licensing, insurance, and financing.
The kitchen facility at Hillcrest will be the only incubator of its kind in Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.