In an effort to bring new, young talent into the training pipeline, Racine Unified School District was invited to participate; Professional Services Group with expertise in youth programming was also invited to help the cause.  As a result, 4 senior level, high-school students began the welding program and where joined by 6 adults.

The content and attendance expectations remain rigorous and the participants are stepping up to the challenge.  The goal of the program is to provide the participants with the baseline skills necessary to begin a career as a welder, start an apprenticeship or continue their education at Gateway Technical College's welding program.  During the training program the participants will learn blueprint reading, measuring, lean manufacturing concepts, safety and of course welding.  The welding consists of 100 hours of MIG welding using Miller wire feed machines; the following positions are taught:  flat, vertical and overhead using a variety of metal thicknesses from 3/16 to 1 inch.

At the completion of the course, the high school students will have earned 2.5 credits toward graduation and 10 credits at Gateway Technical College toward the one-year technical diploma in welding.  Further, the participants are learning key employability skills such as timeliness, team work and personal accountability.

In partnership with the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, Fox Valley Workforce Development Board (FVWDB) provides staff support to the Manufacturing Alliance.  The Alliance has been successful in creating a website to attract new employees, as well as provide marketing strategies for the K-12 system. 

A $250,000 federal Department of Labor grant has been awarded to the Northland Works Partnership, comprised of the Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board, Northeast Minnesota Workforce Investment Board, and the Duluth Workforce Development Council. This Regional Innovation Grant will result in a transformative regional strategic plan that, when implemented, will prepare workers and businesses to compete and succeed in the global economy.  Several projects such as The Northland Works and the GROW Initiative are already working on aspects of a regional strategy. This project will work hand in hand with these efforts and develop a strategy that also includes Northeast Minnesota. The economies of Northwest Wisconsin and Northeast Minnesota are facing very similar issues. Treating these areas as a contiguous economic region makes sense in terms of sharing resources to develop a strategy that benefits both regions.