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Gateway receives $1.89 million in state Blueprint for Prosperity grant funding

News Release: 

Gateway Technical College will receive $1.89 million to reduce student waiting lists and expand capacity in high-demand career program areas to provide even more opportunities for new and existing students to receive the training they need to enter the workforce.

A total of 14 Gateway projects have been funded through Governor Scott Walker’s Blueprint for Prosperity program to serve more than 750 students over two years, ending in 2016. Students will enter programs in six different industrial sectors.

“Priming the talent pipeline with the Blueprint for Prosperity investments is critical for sustaining our region’s economic recovery,” said Gateway Technical College President and CEO Bryan Albrecht. “Blueprint for Prosperity grants will increase Gateway’s ability to supply local employers with skilled workers to grow their business.”

Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson announced the specifics of the grants at a Wednesday morning event held at the college’s SC Johnson integrated Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Center in Sturtevant.

Governor Walker signed into law Special Session AB 2 as part of his “Blueprint for Prosperity” initiative in March 2014. The legislation provides more than $35 million in additional funding to expand the Fast Forward program. One of the highlights of that bill is providing grants for the Wisconsin Technical College System to reduce waiting lists for enrollment in programs and courses in high-demand fields.

“Our administration has made worker training a top priority, allocating more than $135 million in new resources to equip Wisconsin workers with the skills needed to fill jobs that employers have available,” said Governor Scott Walker. “The substantial investment in the Wisconsin Technical College System will help our top-notch technical colleges build the capacity to train thousands of workers across the state with skills we know are in high demand by employers.”

This infusion of funding and ramped up – and new – programs at Gateway benefits students and area employers. Students receive training in areas with potential job openings and career opportunities. Area employers benefit through an infusion of highly trained workers.

One of the efforts funded by the allotment is industry-specialized training provided for Modine.

“This grant will not only help strengthen the technical expertise coming out of southeast Wisconsin, but it will also reinforce what has been a growing partnership between Modine and Gateway Technical College,” said Matt McBurney, Vice President of Modine’s Commercial Products Group.

“As our building HVAC business continues to grow, it’s beneficial to work with not only the contractors of today, but the contractors of the future, and train them on the features and benefits of our heating, cooling and ventilation solutions. Having a partner, and a resource, such as Gateway nearby helps us communicate with and train professionals from all over North America who attend our Modine University training sessions.”

The Modine program will consist of six workshops offered for local, state, and regional companies. Participants will receive training in geothermal exchange and direct fired gas systems using Modine products. Modine has partnered with Gateway to create a state-of-the-art lab on the Kenosha Campus.  Approximately 150 engineering staff, sales staff, and dealer representatives will participate in this training program. A total of $145,268 was awarded for this specific effort.