New Programs Energize Local Colleges
fasttrack degree program, higher education, mid-state technical college, uw – marshfield/wood county,
High school graduation is the start, not the finish, of educational opportunities in Marshfield, a fact greatly appreciated by employers and residents alike.
The University of Wisconsin – Marshfield/Wood County and Mid-State Technical College’s Marshfield campus both offer a wide range of programs, everything from associate degrees and specialized certificate programs to arts and language classes for those who wish to expand their own horizons.
Both institutions continue to invest heavily in their workforce-related programs, adding new areas of study as well as new methods of teaching that shorten the time it takes to complete a degree’s worth of coursework. That’s certainly the case at UW – Marshfield/Wood County, which now offers the FastTrack Degree program, allowing part-time students to obtain an associate degree with a business emphasis in two and a half years.
The program’s classes use the hybrid method, which incorporates traditional classroom work with online instruction and is also most cost-effective, says Dr. Andrew Keogh, dean and chief executive officer of UW’s Marshfield campus.
“Typically, online courses are more expensive,” he says. “But with FastTrack, you pay the traditional classroom tuition rate but have the convenience of online. That’s a savings of nearly $100 per three-credit class.”
FastTrack students take just one class at a time – three five-week courses in the fall and spring semesters, one three-week course in the winter, and two six- or eight-week courses in the summer, according to the university.
Getting a jump-start on technology is the focus at Mid-State Technical College, which is in the midst of rolling out a comprehensive renewable energy program. The school launched its biorefinery technology, renewable thermal energy technician and renewable energy technician degree programs at the beginning of the fall 2008 semester, and hopes to add renewable energy specialist and energy efficiency technician to the roster by August 2009, says Dr. John W. Anderson, program coordinator.
“About three years ago, several individuals began to investigate how MSTC could support the fledgling renewable energy industry and begin exposing our students to these technologies,” Anderson says.
In August 2007, the Wisconsin Technical College System’s development of the five renewable programs began with enthusiastic backing by the MSTC board and the WTCS office and board, Anderson says.
“The formal process to develop these programs involved extensive investigation to assess the employment outlook and workforce training needs within the renewable energy industry,” he says. “We quickly discovered that, while small, the RE industry was rapidly growing and that many businesses were having difficulty expanding their operations because of a lack of skilled technicians.”
The new jobs offer both competitive wages and the chance to cross-train into other related fields, Anderson adds.
“Most of the current employers are paying starting wages of $15 an hour or more,” he says. “Additionally, graduates of these programs will have enhanced access into the electrical, plumbing and steam-fitting trades or continue their education and pursue a bachelor’s degree or more.”
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Staff Photo
