$19.5 million announced for Wisconsin projects leading to long-term workforce solutions

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Up to $19.5 million in grants will be awarded to three Wisconsin colleges to encourage projects that find solutions to long-term workforce challenges and promote workforce development.

The grants will be awarded to Lakeshore Technical College, the Wisconsin Forestry Center at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point and Northwood Technical College. Gov. Tony Evers said that these funds will help support 22 counties across the northern and eastern regions of the state.

“We’re working to build the workforce of tomorrow and address our state’s long-standing workforce challenges by investing in retaining and recruiting our talented workers, making sure our kids have skills and apprenticeship opportunities, and reducing barriers to Wisconsinites who want to join our workforce,” Gov. Evers said.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development revealed data last week that showed Wisconsin’s unemployment rate is below the national average of 2.9% for the month of May. The data, released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, also showed that there is a historic 3,059,300 Wisconsinites employed.

Lakeshore Technical College will receive up to $1.7 million, the Wisconsin Forestry Center will receive up to $8 million and Northwood Technical College will get up to $9.8 million. Their projects focus on forestry, manufacturing workforce development and workforce housing.

Other recipients will be revealed on a rolling basis and a full list of awardees for the second round of grant funding will be announced in the coming days, Gov. Evers noted.

This is the second round of the Workforce Innovation Grants awarded. The first round was announced in December of 2021 and awarded up to $59.5 million across 12 regional projects.