Grants target emerging industry

BYLINE: Larry Avila

The state has $850,000 in grant funds it wants to give away.

Though it's earmarked for development of emerging industries from biotechnology to advanced manufacturing to keep Wisconsin competitive with the rest of the country.

"I think there will be strong interest in this program," Roberta Gassman, secretary of the Department of Workforce Development, told {dcidc}The Post-Crescent Friday. "Gov. (Jim) Doyle understands that employers are facing numerous challenges with an aging workforce to keeping workers up-to-date on the latest technology. We understand that there are young people out there who have to be attached to the latest cutting-edge technology."

The grant program is part of Doyle's Jobs for the Future initiative announced last May, which has an overall goal of providing training to 36,000 people across the state. Applications are due to the state Department of Workforce Development by June 22.

Gassman said funds would be awarded by the fall.

By targeting emerging areas including biotechnology, biofuels and advanced manufacturing, state officials hope Wisconsin can gain a competitive advantage in these areas.

"Sectors like biofuels and biotechnologies still are in their early stages of growth," Gassman said. "We are seeing progress across the state in these areas so we need to grow the skills in our workforce."

Gassman said grant funds will not simply be distributed to the state's 11 workforce development boards.

"The funds are available on a competitive request for proposal basis," she said. The idea is that the individual workforce development boards will partner with businesses and educational resources in their respective areas to develop proposals that not only will maximize how the funds are used but return the greatest dividends, meaning job creation.

David Buettner, president of Fox Valley Technical College, said his organization has collaborated with the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board Inc. in the past on numerous projects.

"I would be surprised if our region didn't come up with a proposal of some kind," Buettner said. "We certainly would not want to miss out on the opportunity."

FVTC has an assortment of programs geared toward emerging industries targeted by the state, he said.

"We have many courses looking at everything from nanotechnology to health sciences and manufacturing," Buettner said. "Even the Venture Center has a healthy interest in bio fuels."

On the web

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov.

Larry Avila can be reached at 920-993-1000, ext. 292, or lavila@postcrescent.com.