Education

Recognizing that high quality schools are critical to developing educated citizens and a strong future workforce, the Alliance is focused on fostering effective business-education partnerships at all levels. We support Waukesha County students in being both college and career ready and help families and educators understand job opportunities in the marketplace today and in the future.

Areas of support

Support regional and state programs that help students, parents and educators better understand career opportunities and pathways.
Promote expansion of youth apprenticeship, dual enrollment and other programs that help students obtain career skills and experience and/or receive higher education credits that reduce the time and cost of obtaining a post-secondary degree.
Expand school accountability beyond traditional measures to include workforce development outcomes.
Advocate for increasing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education at the K-12 level.
Support expansion of innovative post-secondary academic offerings in Waukesha County and the region.
Support policies that encourage collaboration among Waukesha County K-12 institutions to maximize course offerings and replicate best practices.
Support transferable credits among higher education institutions.
Advocate for effective and flexible programs to address the teacher shortage.

Talking points

The Alliance continues to support schools in the effective implementation of Academic and Career Plans (ACPs) by providing career awareness and exposure to students and fostering strong business/education partnerships.
The recent merger between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin-Waukesha provides the opportunity for expanded post-secondary offerings in Waukesha County that align with the needs of local employers.
Innovative programs, such as micro-credentialing and certificates are of increasing interest to employers as they work to fill the talent pipeline quickly.
Initiatives such as the state’s FabLab and Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Equipment grant programs provide valuable opportunities for Waukesha County students to learn on real-world equipment and prepare them for success in the workplace.

School is out for summer

June 12, 2019

Waukesha County schools wrapped up the school this month. Click to read about the Alliance’s work over the 2018-19 school year to develop our future workforce by connecting businesses and educational institutions.

Supporting legislation to strengthen education

May 8, 2019

The Alliance is supporting SB165, which would improve the transfer of credits among post-secondary institutions. In short, the bill would expand the current universal credit transfer agreement between the UW system and the Wisconsin Technical College System. Currently the UW system is required to have a set of 30 general education credits that transfer seamlessly […]

Addressing the workforce issue

May 2, 2019

As part of a comprehensive strategy to address the workforce issue, the Waukesha County Business Alliance is working to connect businesses and educational institutions. It’s important for us to work together to make sure students are both college- AND career-ready after high school graduation. Click here to watch the video. This video was originally shown […]

Alliance expands advocacy efforts

March 18, 2019

As the Alliance heads in to our 101st year, we’re excited to announce the continued growth and expansion of our advocacy efforts on behalf of Waukesha County businesses. For years, advocacy has been a core focus of the Alliance as we work to provide a clear and persuasive voice for the business community and advocate for business-friendly legislation at the local, state and federal levels.

Mini Business World

March 14, 2019

More than 100 students from Waukesha County school districts participated in Mini Business World at Carroll University this morning.

Governor Tony Evers unveils first state budget

March 4, 2019

Governor Tony Evers unveiled his first state budget last Thursday. The Alliance’s policy committees and staff are examining the $83-billion state budget to identify issues significantly impacting our member businesses and outlined in the Alliance’s 2019 Policy Agenda. These include policy solutions that address the workforce shortage, foster strong business-education partnerships, help modernize our state’s critical infrastructure, drive economic development and promote government efficiencies.

Education Policy Committee

Susan Marshall

Chair
Backbone Institute, LLC

Francis Bauer

ITU AbsorbTech, Inc.

Nate Butt

Quad/Graphics

Jerry Fons

Executive Power LLC

Michael Frohna

Junior Achievement

Kat Goetz

TLX Technologies, LLC

Holly Hawkins

Tri-North Builders Inc

Nate Hoffman

Carrus Group

Ildiko Huppertz

ProHealth Care

Rick Kalscheuer

R&R Insurance Services, Inc.

David Kane

The Gund Company

Reginald Newson

Ascension WI

Kevin Scott

DeWitt Ross & Stevens SC

Anna Stern