Search | Menu Madison College, WTCS honor UW Health with Futuremaker Award
Madison College honors UW Health with the prestigious Futuremaker Partner Award, recognizing its innovative, collaborative efforts to tackle critical workforce challenges in healthcare.
The Futuremaker Partner award, presented by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board (WBCS) and its member colleges, celebrates exceptional relationships between the state's technical colleges and their employer partners.
The March 11 award ceremony was held at the Madison College Truax Campus.
"Healthcare is not only a critical need for Wisconsin residents, it also represents a significant portion of the programs offered by our colleges to meet the needs of healthcare employers," said S. Mark Tyler, WTCS Board president. "I am pleased to present UW Health with the WTCS Futuremaker Award. They are an essential partner for Madison College, continually innovating with new ideas, technologies and methods, sparking interest in students entering the healthcare field. Employers across the state rely on vital partnerships like the one between Madison College and UW Health to provide quality education for all industries in Wisconsin."
Recognizing Wisconsin could face a deficit of 20,000 nurses by 2040, UW Health's leadership has taken decisive steps to cultivate a sustainable nursing workforce.
Innovative healthcare apprenticeships
Madison College and UW Health launched the nation's first Registered Nurse Apprenticeship program in fall 2023. The pioneering initiative spotlights a commitment to equity, innovation, and opportunity within the healthcare sector. The two organizations collaborated with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to establish the four-year registered nurse apprenticeship, with 16 students in the inaugural class.
The apprenticeship combines Madison College's robust academic instruction with UW Health's unparalleled clinical training, ensuring a seamless integration of education and on-the-job learning. Apprentices receive full financial support for tuition, books, and supplies, as well as salaries and benefits, eliminating financial barriers to entry.
The nursing apprenticeship served as a model for workforce innovation nationwide. It expanded to the nation's first respiratory therapy apprenticeship in the fall of 2024, with five individuals in the inaugural cohort. Madison College faculty provided hands-on classroom instruction and guidance, including prerequisite and specialized respiratory therapy courses. The apprentices will transition into respiratory therapy positions at UW Health after graduating and passing the board examination.
“We’re proud to partner with Madison College and the Department of Workforce Development to develop these registered apprenticeships,” said Dr. Alan Kaplan, chief executive officer, UW Health. “Together, we are working to lower barriers to rewarding careers in healthcare and finding innovative solutions to a nationwide workforce shortage to ultimately ensure there are qualified experts to care for patients' needs in Madison and beyond.”
Powerful partnerships
The Madison College-UW Health initiatives are forward-thinking approaches to workforce development that address employee shortages and improve patient care by broadening the pool of healthcare providers and emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The goal is to help apprentices from historically underrepresented backgrounds succeed through mentoring, academic assistance, and community resource.
Madison College and UW Health are also lead organizations in Wisconsin's Biohealth Tech Hub. The Actualizing Biohealth Career (ABC) Pathways project focuses on developing stackable and tailored credentials and promoting work-based learning, such as apprenticeships, to meet the industry's demand.
UW Health is a longstanding and committed partner of Madison College.
"UW Health's partnership with Madison College exemplifies the spirit of the Futuremaker Partner Award," Madison College President Dr. Tim Casper said. "We look forward to continuing collaborations to create equitable opportunities, address critical community needs, and improve the quality of patient care to ensure a brighter, healthier future for Wisconsin and beyond."
