On February 28, six students were recognized for their contribution of building a bench which was donated to Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC).  In fall 2018, the students took on a new project in their Learning for Independence (LFI) Home Repair class of building benches.  After creating four benches, the class decided to donate one to MPTC.  The bench is located at the entrance of the Integrated Manufacturing Center in the Moraine Park trades wing. 

The students attended the Home Repair class as part of the Learning for Independence program. The LFI program is a cooperative transition program offered in partnership by Fond du Lac Area High Schools and Moraine Park Technical College. The students range in age from 18- 21 years, participate in coursework in a college environment allowing them to improve social, communication and self-determination skills.  Throughout the 2 years of classes, students increase their workplace readiness skills through exposure to technology, finance, manufacturing, customer service, child care and many other areas.

On May 16, family, friends and instructors will gather as the six students are recognized during a completion ceremony held at the Moraine Park Fond du Lac campus. We wish the students well as they pursue their future endeavors. 

Classes will be starting again in fall 2019.  For additional information on the LFI program or applications for enrollment, please contact Chris Schultz at cschultz@nfdlschools.org or call 920-929-3750, extension 6143.

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

Like to drive, want to see the country? Having a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Learners Permit can help you gain a new career in the trucking industry.  

Be ready to go.

The demand for truck drivers is increasing. Driving a school bus, passenger vehicle, dump truck, freight carrying truck, or being licensed to tow a double or triple trailer could be yours, but you must first pass the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) knowledge exam and obtain your CDL Commercial Learners Permit (CLP). Whether you want to drive statewide, regionally, across the country or stay close to home, passing the CDL knowledge exam is the first step to a new career.

Are you independent, hardworking, adventurous and love a challenge? Want to explore America? If you answered yes, then becoming a trucker may be right for you.

If you have a valid Wisconsin Driver’s License and an acceptable driving record, Moraine Park Technical College can help you take that first step towards a career driving. Our 15 hour classroom course, will introduce you to the trucking industry, familiarize you with the different written exams, background and medical information and prepare you to pass the CDL knowledge exam required whether you plan to apply for a CLASS A, B or C license.

Once you pass the CDL knowledge exam you will be issued a Commercial Learners Permit. You may operate a commercial motor vehicle as indicated on your permit with another person licensed to drive the same type of vehicle.

Make an investment in your future today. In as little as one week, we can prepare you to pass the knowledge exam.  Get started by enrolling in the March or April class.

March 11-14
5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (5:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 14 only)
Fond du Lac Campus, Room B-109
CRN 31155

or

April 8-11
5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (5:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 only)
West Bend Campus, Room L-159
CRN 31156

Disclaimer: Moraine Park does not provide vehicles to practice on.

To register, please call 1-800-472-4554. For questions, please contact Laurie at lbarz@morainepark.edu or visit https://www.morainepark.edu/programs-and-courses/certifications-and-licensure/.

Are you aware that over one-third of households in WI struggle to afford basic necessities?*

Moraine Park Technical College is excited to host national speakers, Terie Dreussi-Smith and Ruth Weirich, from aha! Process, Inc., to help bridge the gap and provide a better understanding of poverty in our communities and workplaces to assist with retention, productivity, and engagement in entry-level workers. This two-day summit will be held on March 12 and 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event will consist of a Bridges out of Poverty and Workplace Stability workshop to learn how to achieve workplace stability for entry-level employee retention and performance. These sessions will help us recognize the signs of poverty and the range of factors that create instability for our employees, and see how instability, employee performance, and profitability are related.

Employers have come to understand diversity in terms of age, race, and gender – now they need to understand it in terms of socioeconomic class. The income and resource gap is a growing divide in workplace culture, causing missed opportunities from miscommunications to separations, as well as lost productivity, promotion, and profit.
“Viewing a diverse workforce through the lens of economic class allows a company to create more stability for team members and for the business, which results in higher retention, higher productivity, more engagement, and increased profits.” – Ruth K. Weirich, Workplace Stability, p. 129

Did you also know that 27% of households in the MPTC district fall below the ALICE level? ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed; it’s a way for defining men and women who work hard, earn above the federal poverty level, but still not enough to afford a basic household budget.*

With that being said, are you aware of the hidden rules, culture, and range of factors that contribute to the instabilities in poverty? Workplace instability issues have an impact on employee retention and performance across all industries. We are hoping these sessions will raise awareness and give you the tools to provide open lines of communication with your employees, ultimately creating higher employee retention.

Bridges out of Poverty will use the lens of economic class to provide concrete tools and strategies for a community to alleviate poverty.  The Bridges out of Poverty and Workplace Stability sessions will provide tools and strategies for you to:

• Recognize the signs of poverty
• Understand the culture of poverty
• Recognize the range of factors that create instability for employees
• See how instability, employee performance and profitability are related

Event details:
March 12 & 13, 2019
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts
Fond du Lac, WI

For more information or to register for this event, visit http://bit.ly/bridgesmptc . 

*www.unitedforalice.org/wisconsin

Moraine Park Technical College held its seventh Strategy, Alignment, Talent
(STRAT) 2.0 program graduation ceremony on December 12, 2018, at the Fond du Lac campus.

The STRAT 2.0 program was developed by Moraine Park’s Economic and Workforce Development division and goes beyond the typical training –  integrating feedback, stretch assignments, experiential learning and one-on-one coaching to accelerate individual performance. Individuals are sponsored by their employers and organizations to participate in cross-functional development linking strategy and execution to achieve measureable results within their organizations.  Through the program, students participate in workshops, networking events, professional coaching and self-assessments to reinforce application of key concepts to enhance individual and organizational effectiveness.

STRAT teaches participants how to make big-picture management decisions and helps them develop self-awareness as a leader that improve their company’s performance. A local executive sponsor indicated, “STRAT teaches participants how to deal with today’s issues and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges. You need to look at how to put out today’s fires while preventing them in the future.” The program supports companies with their succession planning strategy and developing their talent pipeline for the next level of executives.

The STRAT 2018 participants included Kelly Weninger, Human Resources Manager at A&W Iron & Metal, Inc.; Shannon Neu, RN Manager at Beaver Dam Community Hospital; Briana Wagner, Strategic Projects Manager at Grande Cheese; Megan Pea, Deposit Operations Officer at Horicon Bank; Christopher Stath, Director of Purchasing and Sales at Sadoff Iron & Metal Company; and Oliver Vogel, IT Administrator at Spring Valley (not pictured).

Registration is currently in process for the 2019 STRAT session. To register, call 1-800-472-4554 ext. 3449. For more information on the STRAT program visit morainepark.edu/strat.

Talitha is the new WIOA Training Navigator for Moraine Park, stationed on the Beaver Dam campus and part of the Economic and Workforce Development department.  In case you are wondering what WIOA stands for, it means Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and Talitha’s primary role is to provide various supports for adults with barriers who want to pursue MPTC training programs which help lead them to economic self-sufficiency. 

Talitha comes to Moraine Park having spent the last ten years teaching Language Arts at La Follette High School on Madison’s east side.  She has also taught AVID for five years, which is a program designed to support students with barriers succeed in high school and prepare for college. While she found profound meaning in her work as a teacher, she was also ready to make a career change and is excited to shift her career to providing individualized supports for motivated adults.

Talitha says she is passionate about the goals of WIOA which align with the amazing work that MPTC is already doing.  She believes that by eliminating some of the small financial barriers that prevent many individuals from pursuing education/training, we can help them forge paths out of poverty and dependence on government assistance.  Talitha is truly excited for the opportunity to support motivated individuals pursue more stable and meaningful lives, and feels honored to do this work as a member of the MPTC community.

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

Tim Thomas has been sharing his culinary magic with students at Moraine Park’s Hartford Regional Center for over 12-years.

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What kind of Community Education courses does Moraine Park Technical College offer?

Our campuses offer over 800 courses per year at various locations throughout the district. We have offerings in estate planning, health and wellness, small business, culinary, crafts and recreations, computers.  Basically we offer a variety of courses in many different areas; these courses are available to help you grow your expertise or to take just for the fun of it!
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Wisconsin continues to add private sector jobs, especially in sectors like manufacturing. Over the past year, Wisconsin added 38,500 private sector jobs and 21,300 manufacturing jobs.  Therefore, ff you’ve just hired 10 new employees, chances are that three of them will quit within the next 90 days, according to a new survey from Jobvite, recruiting software providers (Fastcompany.com).

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