Develop
We believe there are three tenets that make up a comprehensive workforce development strategy: developing our future workforce through partnerships with educational institutions, attracting new talent to our area and retaining and skilling up our existing workforce.
We work to develop our future workforce by connecting K-12 and post-secondary institutions with businesses in order to expose students to all the career opportunities in Waukesha County and the region.
- Expose students to career opportunities in Waukesha County by hosting the Manufacturing the Future Expo, the Discover Health Care Expo, Mini Business World, Kids Building Wisconsin-Waukesha, Schools2Skills tours and more.
- Expand Careers Uncovered to bring educators into businesses to tour, interact with business leadership and enhance the Academic & Career Planning process.
- Launch the Workforce Readiness Dashboard for Waukesha County school districts to assess K-12 workforce skills development.
- Host quarterly superintendent/president roundtables to connect educational leaders with local business leaders.
- Create a program to educate parents about career pathways available for their children to pursue after high school graduation.
- Promote youth apprenticeship, dual enrollment and internship opportunities with local businesses.
- Pilot a program to connect K-12 guidance counselors and post-secondary institutions to discuss degrees, programs and/or certifications that exist for in-demand industries.
- Strengthen and support each school district’s model to partner with their local businesses.
- Develop an equipment evaluation tool to determine Waukesha County schools’ manufacturing and technical education equipment needs.
- Form a health care speaker’s bureau to streamline the process for school districts to request health care professional speakers for their classrooms.
- Support the Milwaukee 7’s “GROW HERE” campaign by encouraging businesses and educational institutions to participate in career-based learning experiences.
Aligning local, state and federal priorities to help targeted populations re-enter the workforce
January 15, 2020One of the Alliance’s top workforce development policy priorities in 2020 is supporting programs that assist targeted populations to enter or re-enter the workforce. Earlier this week, the Alliance was proud to attend a special program of the Joseph Project, which included a roundtable discussion led by Jared Kushner, senior advisor to President Trump, U.S. Senator Ron […]
Schools2Skills™ takes students through the doors of health care facilities
November 18, 2019In just one week, the Alliance’s Schools2Skills™ tours took students through the doors of two health care facilities in Waukesha County. Nearly 50 middle school students had the opportunity to visit either Oak Hill Terrace or Community Memorial Hospital. Schools2Skills™ tours give students an inside look at the world of health care, exposing them to […]
Schools2Skills™ celebrates 10 years of providing students with tours of local businesses
November 4, 2019Originating as a way to connect superintendents and teachers with local manufacturers, Schools2Skills™ quickly evolved into a platform for educating students about the career opportunities in manufacturing. Schools2Skills™ gives middle and high school students tours of local manufacturers to see firsthand the innovative and advanced technology available right here in southeast Wisconsin. To date, over 3,600 students have attended Schools2Skills™ […]
800+ Students Visit 2019 M.A.D.E Expo
October 30, 2019In support of Manufacturing Month, the Waukesha County Business Alliance was proud to host over 800 middle and high school students at the 2019 M.A.D.E. Career Expo. The interactive expo gives students the opportunity to learn about career pathways in manufacturing from area companies. As the number one contributor to Wisconsin’s economy, manufacturing produces more […]
Ramping up business education partnerships
October 9, 2019Now that area students are one month in to the 2019-20 school year, the Alliance is officially kicking off our school year business and education programs.
Alliance advocates to expand youth apprenticeship opportunities
September 30, 2019The Waukesha County Business Alliance supports Assembly Bill 72, which would expand Youth Apprenticeship opportunities to students and employers in the areas of education/training, public safety, human services, business administration and government administration. Adding these occupations would mean that the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development would be offering curriculum in all 16 career clusters for Youth Apprenticeship.
Education Steering Council
Ron Russ
Chair
School District of Merton
Kelly Skindzelewski
Co-Chair
GE Healthcare
Jim Bayer
KHS USA, Inc.
Donna Bembenek
Catholic Memorial High School
Nicole Berlowski
ProHealth Care
Steve Bialek
Carroll University
Joe Bitter
River Run Computers Inc
Melissa Caldwell
Milwaukee Tool
Laura Catherman
Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington Workforce Development Inc.
Mary Ellen Comp
Community Leader
Marikris Coryell
St. Joan Antida High School
Paul Decker
Waukesha County Board of Supervisors
Andy Dresang
Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin
Bob Glowacki
EconomicsWisconsin
Toni Gundersen
CJ & Associates, Inc.
Mark Hansen
School District of Elmbrook
Mollie Haubenschild
School District of Waukesha
Brian Hillstrom
Johnson Financial Group
Nate Hoffman
Carrus Group
Ann Hyra
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Dee Jensen
Heritage Printing
Rick Kalscheuer
R&R Insurance Services, Inc.
Phylis King
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
Susan Koehn
Milwaukee 7
Ann Marie Krause-Hanson
Waukesha County Technical College
Steve Krause
The Prestwick Group, Inc.
Cynthia Krueger
Wisconsin Lutheran High School
Tami Marek-Loper
The Marek Group
Jim McLaughlin
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
Jane Menheer
Dedicated Computing
Ashley Miller
SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc.
Joseph Miotke
DeWitt Ross & Stevens SC
Vicki Pinnow
Waukesha Metal Products
Michael Sekula
Inpro Corporation