Search | Menu 400-Plus Workers Will Benefit From Madison College Training Through Wisconsin Fast Forward Grants
Madison College will partner with employers to meet the needs of a changing future workforce through the help of $1.38 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grants.
The grants will provide training funds for Wisconsin’s in-demand manufacturing, healthcare, and construction industries in Dane, Columbia, and Milwaukee counties. Madison College is named as the training partner and were submitted by industry partners.
An estimated 411 unemployed, bilingual, and incumbent workers will get the opportunity to learn new skills, earn associate degrees, and get a pay boost, under the Wisconsin Fast Forward Grant partnerships with Madison College.
Madison College will collaborate with Access Community Health, City of Portage Fire Department, Meriter Foundation Inc., Oakwood Lutheran Senior Ministries, Palermo Villa, Penda, SSM Health Care of Wisconsin, and TriEnda LLC, under the agreements recently announced by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
“DWD’s Wisconsin Fast Forward grant program supports employers as they seek to attract, train, and retain a highly skilled workforce,” DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said. “This strategic investment by Gov. Evers is sustaining Wisconsin’s robust economy and strengthening our state’s workforce now and into the future.”
Recruiting is underway for the SSM Health Care partnership with Madison College that will train current workers to become licensed practical nurses, says Madison College School of Nursing Dean Kerri Kliminski, with students tentatively completing the program in March 2026.
“The program will start in July at the Madison College South Campus in an evening and weekend format,” Kliminski says. “Students will transition into roles as Licensed Practical Nurses, increasing the nursing workforce capacity in clinics and acute care settings within the SSM system.”
Of the $3.97 million Wisconsin Fast Forward grants announced in March, the majority included partnerships with Madison College.
Wisconsin Fast Forward Grants
The Wisconsin Fast Forward Grants include:
Construction: $85,755 to Oakwood Lutheran Senior Ministries in Dane County. Oakwood Lutheran Senior Ministries will partner with Madison College to train 16 employees to learn building maintenance, including electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and facilities repair. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $2 or more.
Healthcare: $52,800 to Access Community Health Centers Inc. in Dane County. Access Community Health Centers and Madison College will train eight employees to become medical assistants. They could receive an hourly wage increase of $3.50 or more.
Healthcare: $57,005 to the City of Portage Fire Department in Columbia County. The City of Portage Fire Department and Madison College-Portage Campus will train 10 underemployed trainees and two incumbent workers to become emergency medical technicians to help with high-acuity calls and augment emergency medical services. Incumbent trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $1.16 or more.
Healthcare: $278,354 to SSM Health Care of Wisconsin in Dane County. SSM Health Care of Wisconsin will partner with Madison College to train 16 current workers to gain the skills needed to become licensed practical nurses. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $2.78 or more.
Healthcare: $93,478 to Meriter Foundation Inc. in Dane County. Meriter Foundation and Madison College will train eight unemployed people on skills to become surgical technicians. Training will lead to an associate degree.
Manufacturing: $203,788 to Palermo Villa, Inc. in Milwaukee County. Palermo Villa, Inc. will partner with Madison College to train 263 of its workers in courses developed for team lead leadership training and basic English language training. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of 65 cents or more.
Manufacturing: $271,016 to TriEnda LLC in Columbia County. TriEnda will partner with Madison College to train two unemployed people and 38 employees as extrusion operators. Instruction will be both on-the-job and in the classroom in English and Spanish. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $4.12 or more.
Manufacturing: $347,736 to Penda in Columbia County. Penda will partner with Madison College to provide classroom and on-the-job training to 16 unemployed people and 32 current workers as extrusion operators. Curriculum and training will be in English and Spanish. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $4.12 or more.
