With some of the fastest growing occupations requiring an associate’s degree or technical diploma, technical colleges are poised to help Wisconsin on the road to economic recovery. February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) month throughout the state and nation, and Moraine Park Technical College is highlighting the importance of Technical Education throughout the month.

District-wide, Moraine Park celebrates CTE month with Discover Moraine Park (DMP), February 7, 8 and 9 on the College’s Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac and West Bend campuses, respectively. DMP is an annual event for anyone wanting to get a jump start on the admissions process. Participants receive information on Moraine Park programs and further assistance on meeting their career goals and completing the steps needed for the admissions process. Representatives from student services, college activities, clubs, student government, admissions and financial aid are present to answer questions.

Also celebrating is the Moraine Park Association of Career and Technical Education (MPACTE). The organization is holding its annual awards banquet on February 20 to recognize individuals for their dedication to and excellence in career and technical education. Throughout the year, MPACTE supports student achievement by awarding eight $300 scholarships to full-time Moraine Park students and five $200 scholarships to part-time Moraine Park students. Scholarships are cosponsored by both the Moraine Park Federation of Teachers and the MPACTE organization.

At the State level, The Wisconsin Association of CTE is holding a legislative seminar in Madison on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The seminar will look at the future of CTE in the State of Wisconsin and how to be more effective advocates for CTE. “Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges have forged strong local partnerships with business and industry, as well as beneficial collaborations with area public school districts,” added Dan Clancy, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System. “Successful implementation of the resulting career pathways will ensure that educational opportunities align with industry needs and students see a clear path to future career success.”

Nationally, Moraine Park President Sheila Ruhland will be attending 2012 National Policy Seminar hosted by the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) where she will meet with key members of Congress and hear from national leaders in education.

For more information about Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu. For more information on statewide CTE month activities, visit witechcolleges.org.

From painting like the masters to being a pro at financial planning, Moraine Park Technical College is offering a variety of classes this spring. All classes listed will be held at the Hartford Regional Center at Hartford Union High School.

In the Paint Like The Masters series, instructor Sandra Siebers will guide participants through a brief study of an artist and demonstrate techniques to help participants create a ready-to-frame masterpiece. Each class is separate and students can pick and choose the class or classes they want to take. On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Van Gogh (CRN 30877) will be featured. Monet (CRN 30878) will be highlighted on Wednesday, March 7; Renoir (CRN 30879) on Wednesday, April 4; and Matisse (CRN 30880) on Wednesday, May 2. Each class runs from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Cost is $23.50 per class ($18.63 for 62 and over).

Moraine Park will be offering two sessions of Common Sense Approach to Investing and Financial Planning from instructor Nathan Derks. It will be offered on Thursdays, Feb. 23 and March 15, from 6-8 p.m. Use CRN 30498. The second session will be held Wednesdays, April 4 and 25 from 5-7 p.m. Use CRN 30859.

Derks specializes in creating and implementing personalized strategies and solutions to help families achieve personal and financial independence. He holds numerous security licenses including Series 63 and works as an independent investment executive at the Investment Center of Wisconsin.

The new semester will be a little easier for 160 Moraine Park Technical College students who received scholarships for 2011-12. Over $134,000 was awarded to the students in almost all program areas, thanks to the generous support of donors.

“The philanthropic spirit of donors is essential in our pursuit to provide resources to the students of Moraine Park so they may continue to focus on realizing their academic dreams,” said Kelly Norton, the Moraine Park Foundation and alumni relations associate. “In time, these students become the lifeblood of our community, improving the strength and vitality of the entire district.”

According to Norton, Moraine Park students are faced with over $7 million in unmet financial need. “Our donors share our vision of changing lives and enriching community through education,” she said.

Students can start applying for scholarships for 2012-13 on February 1 by visiting morainepark.edu/scholarships.

In addition to scholarships for students in specific programs, the Moraine Park Foundation awards one senior from each high school in Moraine Park’s district with a $400 scholarship.

Norton said that criteria for the scholarships is based on academic merit coupled with extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, a personal statement and financial need. “Students often have the mentality that they don’t qualify for scholarships because they don’t always consider the criteria,” said Norton. “What we really want is for students to tell us what inspired them to continue their education and what their ‘story’ will look like. All students are encouraged to apply—we give equal read time to all applicants.”

For more information on the Moraine Park Foundation, visit morainepark.edu/foundation.

Moraine Park Technical College will offer a nursing assistant class for individuals interested in learning basic nursing skills to care for clients under licensed supervision and other required NA/HHA knowledge and skills. Upon completion of the course, students are eligible to take the exam for registration on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry.

The class (CRN 31095) will be held from Feb. 8 through April 18 at Markesan High School and Markesan Resident Home. The class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 4-9:30 p.m. and one Saturday morning on March 12.

Preregistration is required for the class, and enrollment is limited to the first ten students who sign up. This course is a prerequisite for entrance into the Moraine Park Nursing - Associate Degree With a Practical Nursing Exit Point program. Students must be 16 years old and have completed a Moraine Park immunization form and a criminal background check. The tuition price is $381.60 plus books and fees.

For more information, call 920-748-3290. To register, call 800-472-4554.

Do you have a small business or home office? Learn the basics of QuickBooks software. Moraine Park Technical College will be offering classes beginning Saturday, Feb. 4 at Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac campus. The class meets six Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ending March 10.

The class will emphasize billing, inventory and payroll functions. Basic computer knowledge is recommended. Register by calling 920-748-3290. Refer to CRN 30823. The class costs $71.11 or $4 for those 62 and older.

For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

Are you contemplating a career change, graduating from high school, completing your GED or HSED requirements, or considering college for the first time? If the answer is “yes,” then you won’t want to miss Moraine Park Technical College’s Discover Moraine Park happening this February.

The event, from 5:30-7 p.m., takes place at the Beaver Dam campus on Tuesday, Feb. 7, the Fond du Lac campus on Wednesday, Feb. 8; and the West Bend campus on Thursday, Feb. 9. Attendees can drop in anytime between 5:30 and 7 p.m.

“This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in getting a head start on the admission process,” said Katie VandeSlunt, recruitment specialist for Moraine Park. “Participants will receive information on our programs and further assistance on meeting their career goals and completing the steps needed for the admissions process.” Representatives from student services, college activities, clubs, student government, admissions and financial aid will also be present to answer questions.”

For more information, visit morainepark.edu/dmp or call 1-800-472-4554, Ext. 3347. Registration is recommended and can be completed by visiting morainepark.edu/dmp.

A new certificate at Moraine Park Technical College will offer the last piece of the Electrical Power Distribution (EPD) puzzle to students in the program. Beginning in fall 2012, students will be able to obtain a substation certificate to complement the existing one-year Electrical Power Distribution technical diploma. Students who would like to get a jump start on the certificate can take the Introduction to Electrical Substations class in the spring semester, which begins Jan. 24.

Electricity is delivered to homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and industries through an integrated system of generation facilities, power lines and substations. Moraine Park’s EPD program focuses on the transmission and distribution parts of this process. The new certificate will allow students to add substation construction and operation to their knowledge base.

“The Substation Certificate is a great way for Moraine Park to meet the training request of local energy organizations to meet their labor needs,” said Matt Hurtienne, Moraine Park dean of information technology. “Each course in this certificate was developed in partnership with industry experts working alongside with Moraine Park faculty.”

EPD advisory committee members, comprised of utility professionals, recommended Moraine Park include this new certificate so students could have a complete understanding of EPD concepts.

“The substation certificate will certainly give our students an edge when entering the workforce,” said Mark Theyerl, EPD instructor. “The fact that linemen are the first responders when problems arise in a substation, lends itself to including this broadening of the EPD knowledge base through the substation courses.”

Cody Splittgaber of Ripon is a student in the EPD program and will start on the substation certificate in the fall. “I’ve been learning a lot in the EPD program and feel like there’s always something new to learn,” said Splittgaber. “I’m excited to finish up the technical diploma and move towards receiving the substation certificate.”

For more information on Moraine Park’s EPD program, visit morainepark.edu/programs.

Joecks to host free entrepreneurial workshops

With a true entrepreneurial spirit, Jeremy Joecks is a winning addition to Moraine Park Technical College’s expert staff. Joecks started as Moraine Park’s Entrepreneurial Associate in December and will provide education programming and assistance to current and aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners within the district.

Joecks received his master’s in business and marketing postsecondary and secondary education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and his bachelor’s in business management-entrepreneurship from UW-Eau Claire.

Most recently, Joecks worked in higher education administration as an area director for Kaplan Test Prep. In addition to classroom teaching experience, Jeremy has owned and operated businesses in the retail and service industries. “I’m excited to be continuing my strong passion for education,” said Joecks. “I love to see the enthusiasm students and educators have for ongoing education and development.”

Looking to the future, Joecks’ vision is to work with internal and external partners to infuse a culture of entrepreneurship throughout the College. “Through a combination of entrepreneurship specific education offerings and an effort to build some entrepreneurship training and coursework into existing programs, I feel that all who come to Moraine Park will benefit from the many rewards of some level of entrepreneurship education,” said Joecks.

In hosting three free upcoming entrepreneurial workshops, Joecks is off to a great start.

Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac campus will host a workshop on Monday, Jan. 23; the Beaver Dam campus will host a workshop on Wednesday, Jan. 25, and the West Bend campus will host a workshop on Monday, Jan. 30. All workshops will be held from 6-8 p.m. Those interested in attending are required to register by e-mailing training@morainepark.edu or calling 920-924-3449. For more information on Moraine Park’s business and industry training, visit morainepark.edu/training.

Moraine Park Technical College’s 2010-11 e-Annual report has much to offer. Readers can learn about the sustainability efforts growing in the Culinary Arts area, receive an update on progressive new academic programs, experience Moraine Park’s new disc golf course, and find out how to stay connected with Moraine Park’s social media and websites. To view it, go to morainepark.edu/annualreport.

“I invite everyone to take a look at our 2010-11 Annual Report that focuses on 100 years of Innovation,” said Dr. Sheila Ruhland, Moraine Park president. “The Annual Report is full of great stories and videos allowing the viewer to experience how Moraine Park continues to provide innovative education for an evolving workforce and community. This has been an exciting year with accomplishments and many new milestones for Moraine Park.”

Unlike a printed magazine, the e-book enables the reader to view short videos, program descriptions and Web pages. In addition to the feature stories, the report contains financial demographic facts and figures, a message from the president, student and staff achievements, and more.

Moraine Park Technical College was established in 1912 and is one of 16 technical college districts that make up the Wisconsin Technical College System. With campuses in Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac and West Bend, Moraine Park offers more than 100 associate of applied science degrees, technical diplomas, apprenticeships and certificates delivered in a variety of formats — classroom, online and blended. Training and technical assistance for businesses is also offered. To find out more about Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.