The forestry and forest products industry in Wisconsin took a big hit during the pandemic. That’s why Gov. Evers just awarded three colleges a total of $19.5M in grant money to help turn things around.
Here’s Five Fast Facts on Wisconsin’s Latest Workforce Innovation Grants:
- 🌳If a Tree Falls - The grants went to Lakeshore Technical College, The Wisconsin Forestry Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Northwoods Technical College.
- 🌲Happy Little Trees - The grants will help the colleges with workforce development across 22(!) counties in Wisconsin’s Northwestern, Northern, Northeastern and Eastern Regions. Lambeau is probably safe.
- 🍂Make Like a Tree - Funded programs will help create career paths, introduce K-12 students to forestry careers, training programs, programs for unemployed and underdeveloped adults and a project to increase the availability of workforce housing.
- 🌱 The Right Tree - These industries were already experiencing labor shortages before the pandemic and the trend has continued despite the state’s record job growth.
- 🪵Doesn’t Grow on Trees - There are actually more recipients coming on a rolling basis, which means the Capital is considering this shortage a serious issue.
🔥Bottom line: You’re hearing a lot about labor shortages in a handful of industries right now, but that’s because they’re the most visible and they make the most noise. Actively working to build current and new specialists in unique fields like this is smart for the state’s long-term health on many different fronts.
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