Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

We've got NEWS

Friday, June 19, 1998 Governor Tommy G. Thompson Secretary Linda Stewart

News Media Contact Michael H. McCoy 608/267-4400 e-mail: mccoymi@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784

For more information, contact:
Bruce Hagen, Workforce Development, (608) 266-7552
Phil Albert, Commerce Department, (608) 267-0770

Workforce Forums on Internet;
Milwaukee hosts first session

Madison, Wis. -- Employers, workers, educators and others may participate in this summer’s Governor’s Workforce Forums via the Internet, a state agency announced today.

A new World Wide Web site has just been established at <www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwd/forums> by the State Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to keep people informed about the Forums and Wisconsin’s tight labor market challenges the Forums will address.

An e-mail address also has been set up for those who wish to share their ideas for consideration by state government that way. The address is <govworkfc@dwd.state.wi.us>.

DWD is one of several agencies co-sponsoring the Forums on behalf of the Governor.

The first Forum will be held in Milwaukee Tuesday (June 23) at the Milwaukee Area Technical College Teleconference Center, Room S-120, 700 W. State St. Each of the sessions will be open to the public to observe.

Other Forums are scheduled for Green Bay, Rice Lake and Reedsburg. Technical colleges in each area are hosting.

Governor Tommy G. Thompson said last week he had ordered the Forums to help businesses and communities find additional ways to recruit workers in the tightest labor market since World War II.

The Forums will help identify skill- and labor-supply mismatches in the state, share successful ideas, and find possible new approaches.

Attending and offering insights at each session will be representatives of employers, labor organizations, public and private colleges and schools, local and state elected officials, and others. An estimated 50-75 participants are expected at each location.

They have been asked to provide ideas as to what more employers and local and state governments can do, separately and together, to meet workforce needs in the state.

Cabinet officers from several state agencies will attend and listen to the ideas being presented. They also will provide additional information, if needed, about existing initiatives already underway or planned at the state level.

Linda Stewart, Secretary of the State Department of Workforce Development, and William McCoshen, Secretary of the Department of Commerce, are co-chairs for the Forums.

Also co-sponsoring are the Department of Revenue, the Wisconsin Technical College System Board, the University of Wisconsin System, and Forward Wisconsin.

The sessions will build on recommendations previously issued by Operation Hire in 1995 and the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on 21st Century Jobs, issued last year.

A final report will be submitted to the Governor after all Forums have been held, and made available to the public at the Forum Web site and in other formats.

Anyone is welcome to submit written comments other than by e-mail by addressing them to Governor’s Workforce Forum, c/o either Secretary Linda Stewart, DWD, P.O. Box 7946, Madison, WI 53707, or Secretary William McCoshen, Commerce Department, 201 W. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53702.

All Forums will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude by 11:45 a.m. The dates and locations of the other sessions are:

• June 30, Green Bay, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Center for Business and Industry,
  Room C231, 2740 W. Mason St.

• July 8, Rice Lake, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Conference Center, 1900 College Dr.

• July 15, Reedsburg, Madison Area Technical College, Room 13, 300 Alexander Ave.

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