WAI Project Operators

WDA 1

DWD awarded $487,464 in grant funding to serve 150 participants.

SE WI WDB will provide Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) machinist training in small cohorts through Gateway Technical College's iMet Center. Participation in these training programs will be subsidized with a stipend, paid hourly for each hour of participation. Multiple employers have provided Letters of Support indicating their intent to be involved with the training cohorts and extend subsidized or unsubsidized offers of employment to program graduates.

Quarterly Program Updates

Southeastern WI Workforce Development Board has concluded WAI programing at this time and are no longer enrolling participants in WAI. Please refer to the Southeastern Works website to find WIOA providers.

WDA 2

DWD awarded $5,255,005 in grant funding to serve 500 participants.

EMI is launching Skillful Transitions Program, which will provide individualized assessment of skills, experience, and job readiness. The program will be coupled with CareerWork$ job readiness training and paid work experience (transitional jobs/on-the-job training). The Skillful Transitions Program will conduct targeted, specialized outreach to justice-involved individuals, veterans, homeless individuals, individuals with limited English language proficiency, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, human trafficking survivors, and other traditionally underserved populations through partnerships with various state, county, and local government agencies, community-based organizations, and faith-based institutions.

EMI will also leverage existing ties with the business community to establish work site host locations in the targeted industries of Construction, Hospitality, Healthcare, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Transportation/Logistics. In addition to traditional supportive services (childcare assistance, transportation assistance, exam fees, work-related equipment, and worker stipends), EMI will partner with existing not-for-profit organizations to provide access to technology and connectivity.

Quarterly Program Updates

Employ Milwaukee, Inc has concluded WAI programing at this time and are no longer enrolling participants in WAI. Please refer to the Employ Milwaukee website to find WIOA providers.

WDA 3

DWD awarded $1,188,512 in grant funding to serve 120 participants

WOW WDB will offer traditional career services and supportive services in conjunction with incentivized paid work experiences or on-the-job training programs. They will expand eligibility by serving individuals ages 17 and older who have no work history or have a demonstrated pattern of limited or poor work history with no additional eligibility criteria or income limitations.

Quarterly Program Updates

From April to June, Forward Careers opened up a Summer Employment Program to promote work experiences and internships to job seekers and businesses. Additionally, one-on-one meetings with employers and community organizations continued to occur to increase awareness of the WAI.

Moving through July, Forward Careers, Inc. will continue recruitment for on-the-job training and work experiences/internships. Information can be found on the link provided above.

WDA 4

DWD awarded $1,085,001 in grant funding to serve 100 participants

FVWDB will launch The Dream Academy, which will serve anyone who is out of work or working reduced hours due to COVID. This will include laid off individuals, as well as those who quit jobs due to dependent care or health concerns during the pandemic, or who have been unable to return to the traditional workforce due to long-haul COVID effects. A significant focus will be on mental health challenges related to the pandemic and will include an investment in mental health counseling. FVWDB will increase diversity by focusing on underserved racial/ethnic groups, the LGBTQ population, justice-involved individuals, non-custodial parents, and individuals with disabilities. Individuals in The Dream Academy will receive an interest assessment, a series of sessions with a trained counselor to help identify barriers to employment, opportunities to interview local employers, a one-month Workplace Essentials soft skills training aligned with targeted industries (manufacturing, IT, logistics, etc.), transitional job placement, and post-job follow-up activities.

Quarterly Program Updates

No major grant updates at this time.

WDA 5

DWD awarded $1,613,436 in grant funding to serve 160 participants

BAWDB will connect grant participants with employment opportunities in locally identified driver industries. Targeted grant participants will include underrepresented racial/ethnic populations, justice-involved individuals, and long-term unemployed. BAWDB will use grant funds to hire a Worker Advancement/ Community Engagement and Program Coordinator to conduct outreach and coordinate referrals for the grant. Participants will receive employment/job placement services through a local staffing agency to provide work experience and will also have access to training opportunities in high-demand skills/occupations, including digital literacy education.

Quarterly Program Updates

WDA 5 began first CDL Training cohort staring the week of July 12th.

Gener8tor program is actively recruiting for the August IT Help Desk program where they hope to enroll 30-35 participants to successfully receive the career skills needed to receive gainful employment quickly. Gener8tor continues to engage with their network of 420 national employers that have agreed to work with their team to hire graduates.

WDA 6

DWD awarded $999,900 in grant funding to serve 100 participants

NCWWDB will conduct five short-term training projects in healthcare, childcare, tourism, welding, and construction/renewable energy. These will be offered in conjunction with the local technical colleges. The focus will be on engaging unemployed individuals and underemployed workers. Targeted populations will include unemployed/underemployed, re-entry populations, individuals in AODA treatment, and individuals with disabilities. NCWWDB will also leverage its existing industry partnerships to identify work-based training opportunities.

Quarterly Program Updates

WDA 6 is collaborating with Northcentral Technical College and CWMA to create a cohort training in Move to Manufacturing. They will provide wraparound support services and benchmark incentives for participants.

WDA 6 has partnered with Visit Rome and Mid-State Technical College in providing wraparound support services and attendance incentives for a short term 11 credit cohort training in culinary arts.

WDA 6 is in collaboration with all the regional technical colleges to explore ways WAI can support students of the Early Childhood Education programs.

WDA 7

DWD awarded $2,260,437 in grant funding to serve 225 participants

NWWIB's proposal will target justice-involved individuals, non-custodial parents, long-term unemployed individuals, tribal members, individuals with disabilities, individuals with no work history or gaps in employment, new entrants into the workforce ages 17 and older, individuals at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and referred victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Participants will receive the 28-hour Move to Manufacturing curriculum, as well as wraparound services provided through a local staffing agency.

Quarterly Program Updates

WDA 7 focuses on performing outreach efforts targeting specific populations including tribal members, homeless persons, students, young adults, and persons with substance misuse issues.

Currently local employers are reaching out to WDA 7 with referrals of direct applicants whom they feel may be eligible for WAI. These direct applicants, many of whom are enrolled in a WEX or OJT and/or are receiving supportive services and are receiving referrals from other area community support programs who work with eligible candidates.

WDA 8

DWD awarded $2,000,000 in grant funding to serve 369 participants

WCWWDB will provide on-the-job training with higher wage subsidies than currently offered by previous programs, as well as the academy style trainings, Manufacturing Works and Healthcare Works. Targeted participants will include justice-involved individuals, non-custodial parents, long-term unemployed, tribal members, individuals with disabilities, retired individuals, and individuals unable to enter/reenter the workforce due to limited childcare options. The focus will be on jobs leading to economic self-sufficiency and sustainable wages.

Quarterly Program Updates

Next steps of emphasis are to continue to conduct outreach within our counties of service to increase the opportunity to provide services for individuals who qualify.

Collaboration meetings:

• April 12th, Manufacturing Works Annual Meeting
• April 25th, Met with Northwoods Technical College to develop and review WAI referral process for services.
• April 26th Met with Ann Kaiser, Boys and Girls Club, to discuss collaboration.
• June 24th: Met with Schmitt Prototypes to discuss internship opportunities as well as direct hire.

WDA 9

DWD awarded $1,500,000 in grant funding to serve 150 participants

WWWDB will use grant funds to provide paid work experience opportunities, hard and soft skills training in in-demand jobs, on-the-job training opportunities, and enhanced supportive services, including childcare, housing, transportation, and worker stipends. Targeted populations will include justice-involved individuals, tribal members, individuals with disabilities, and unemployed/underemployed. Targeted industries include transportation, manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and IT.

Quarterly Program Updates

WDA 9 is providing training assistance for laptops, Wi-Fi, and other training supplies. The training service are in collaboration with other partners. A number of the participants in WAI are co-enrolled with WIOA to provide tuition support.

Currently, working with Coulee Region Addiction Center to target people trying to get back into the workforce while in recovery and building a relationship with Project Proven, organization directly working with those within the county jail system.

WDA 9 has partnered with Hoocąk (Ho-Chunk Nation) for specific training, such as, obtaining a CDL license. Instructors are being sought after currently for the training, with registration set to open in the fall.

WDA 10

DWD awarded $2,000,000 in grant funding to serve 200 participants

WDBSCW will use grant funds to augment ongoing Career Pathways work by bridging young adults to careers through subsidized employment, subsidizing wages for pre-apprentice work crews, subsidizing wages for re-entry populations engaged in work-release programs, augmenting traditional on-the-job training engagements with technical skills training, and integrating compensated digital literacy work-and-learn interface in those strategies. Targeted populations will include veterans, low-income individuals, individuals with disabilities, justice-involved individuals, dislocated workers, older workers ages 55+, homeless individuals, youth in or aged out of foster care, English language learners, individuals who are basic skills deficient, individuals facing substantial cultural barriers, single parents and single pregnant women, racial/ethnic minorities, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, long-term unemployed, individuals within 2 years of exhausting lifetime TANF eligibility, and displaced homemakers. Targeted industries for training and employment include construction, health and social assistance, manufacturing, IT, and tourism.

Quarterly Program Updates

WAI participants engaged in a Madison College-led welding boot camp are scheduled to take an employer tour with McFarlane's Manufacturing later in July.

Our DOC Carpentry CPA Cohort will participate in speed interviews with (Stevens Construction and Walbec)) on July 21 at Madison College.

WAI Bilingual Construction cohort partnered with Stevens Construction, to train a couple of days on site and have interviews after their graduation.

WDBSCW staff scheduled a Manufacturing Roundtable for Jefferson County in July to discuss hard to fill positions, needed training, certifications, and training models.

Industry sector group business partners have a forum for sharing best practices and helping others in their industry to overcome challenges through regularly scheduled meetings. Examples included discussions on dealing with creation of protocols and policies for plant safety regarding COVID, developing policies and procedures for compliance with new guidance, identifying strategies for recruitment and retention, and other industry related topics as they present themselves as challenges in the workplace.

WDA 11

DWD awarded $1,610,242 in grant funding to serve 296 participants

SWWDB's proposal includes several projects including Essential (Child) Care, Accelerated Industrial Maintenance, Power Skills: Transferable-Employability Program, Truck Driver Short-Term Training, and Construction Up. Essential (Child) Care will fund tuition and subsidized or unsubsidized job placement for 20 participants entering childcare/early childhood education training programs. Accelerated Industrial Maintenance will provide academy-style training in Industrial Maintenance resulting in an embedded technical diploma through Blackhawk Technical College. Employer commitments to hire in subsidized or unsubsidized positions after graduation. Power Skills: Transferable-Employability Program provides soft skills training in communication, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership. This will be offered in conjunction with other occupational-based programming through WAI grants and partner programs. Truck Driver Short-Term Training will provide 170-hour short-term CDL Class A or B training. Employer commitments to hire in subsidized or unsubsidized positions after graduation. Construction Up will offset costs of apprenticeship training up to $5000 and will also provide a participation stipend of $1000 after 1000 hours of training.

Quarterly Program Updates

The next steps the WDA has planned for the upcoming months are:

• Enrolling students in Essential Child Care Fall classes at both SWTC and BTC.
• Engage with Youth Apprenticeship point of contact regarding Apprenticeship Advantage.
• Enrolling students for AIM workshop starting 6/06/22
• Outreach and enroll for Fall Power Skills class starting 10/24/22