WED AM News: Biohealth Tech Hub project aims to connect underrepresented groups with high-demand jobs; International Workplace Group announces new locations in Wisconsin

October 30, 2024

— A key state Biohealth Tech Hub workforce project aims to connect underserved communities with employment gaps across the sector.

That’s according to Mark Thomas, chief strategy officer for Madison College, a tech hub consortium member that’s leading the project. He spoke yesterday during BioForward Wisconsin’s Wisconsin BioHealth Summit in Madison, highlighting the ABC Pathways program.

“We are at peak population, and so we have this almost existential labor shortage, right? And yet we have populations that are historically underserved with low employment and low income,” he said, adding “this is what we’re trying to do, is solve that labor-economics problem.”

This effort falls under the states’ tech hub effort, which has a focus on precision medicine and related industries such as biotechnology manufacturing. Consortium partners — led by BioForward Wisconsin — landed $49 million in federal dollars to execute a number of related projects, and leaders have secured more than $32 million in additional committed investment, including $7.5 million from the state.

The ABC Pathways program, which aims to prepare and place 2,000 workers in biohealth jobs within five years, has established a focus on several high-demand positions. These include radiologic technologists, electrical technicians, medical equipment repair specialists, clinical and biological technicians and others, Thomas noted yesterday.

The program will seek to identify people who might be interested in the career pathways for jobs like these, he said, as well as addressing “historic barriers” to labor market participation and education such as a lack of child care and transportation options.

“When we say diverse workforce, we mean rural, tribal, low-income, urban, women — who are the people who are not historically participating in the workforce?” he said.

Idella Kangas, director of economic and employer engagement for the Universities of Wisconsin, said the project aims to establish a skilled and diverse workforce supported by engaged employers.

She stressed the importance of connecting with these groups at the community level, “so that they can really experience what this sector has to offer” in terms of employment and growth. Employers will play an important role in helping underrepresented groups navigate the biohealth labor force, Kangas said.

“What I am looking for is, help us have an iterative conversation,” she said. “Help us widen the aperture for individuals across all of our talent sector, about what biohealth looks like, what careers and employability looks like.”

Madison College is working with workforce development boards and the K-12 system to identify who might be a good fit for training programs and what kinds of support they will need, Thomas said. Part of the funding for the tech hub effort is going toward outreach, coordination with partners, youth apprenticeship opportunities and more. The project overall is getting $12.5 million in federal funding and $1.5 million in matching funds from the state.

The ABC Pathways program aims to have 75% of hired graduates in prioritized occupations retained for a year by the second year of the effort, with a goal of boosting that to 85% by the fifth year, according to Thomas. It has also set a goal of 18.6% overall target for racial and ethnic diversity for graduating cohorts in programs for these occupations, rising to 23% by the second year and 30% by the fifth year.

See more on the project and listen to a recent podcast on the overall effort.

— The International Workplace Group has announced the addition of 11 new flexible work locations in Wisconsin, bringing the state total to 41.

The company, which has headquarters in Switzerland, yesterday rolled out details for its planned expansion in the state. The announcement points to “sharply rising demand” for these workspaces in suburban and urban Wisconsin communities, giving residents a workplace option that’s closer to home.

The spaces include private offices, meeting rooms, co-working areas and creative spaces, aimed at supporting companies across the biohealth, energy, power, water technology, advanced manufacturing, and food and beverage industries, according to the release. They’re meant for both startups and established businesses.

A number of sites are slated to open in Wisconsin throughout 2025, in Ashwaubenon, Oshkosh, Franklin, Madison, Waunakee and West Allis. Others in Brookfield, Eau Claire and Madison are already open, the release shows.

IWG CEO and founder Mark Dixon says the new openings will establish “a stronger and much-needed footprint” in the state. He argues flexible workspaces improve employee happiness and support businesses as they scale up or down “at significantly reduced” cost.

“As an important business hub in the U.S., Wisconsin is a fantastic place for us to boost our expansion plans as the need for high-quality flexible workspaces continues to soar as hybrid working becomes the new normal,” Dixon said in a statement.

See more in the release.

— The Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council’s Green Masters Program has expanded participation among new businesses by 30% in the past two years.

WSBC Managing Director Jessy Servi Ortiz in a release yesterday said this growth “shows us that — from small businesses to large manufacturers — companies see the value in the program’s ability to align their sustainability priorities and drive measurable results.”

Over the past 15 years, the program has had more than 350 participating Wisconsin companies, the release shows. It offers a tool to help businesses “define, prioritize, measure, and manage” sustainability efforts, providing external validation for related programs.

The council is holding its annual conference Nov. 13 in Milwaukee, which will focus on the Green Masters Program and highlight top-performing businesses in the state.

See more event details in the release.

— The Racine County Economic Development Corporation has launched BizStarts Racine to support entrepreneurs in the southeastern Wisconsin city.

The organization yesterday announced it kicked off the first phase of the program Sept. 5, starting a year-long process that began with a series of educational sessions for participants on the process of starting and growing a business.

The six-week course wrapped up Oct. 10, and one-on-one mentoring will start in November, according to a release. Starting in February, entrepreneurs in the program will work with students at Carthage College on projects focused on web development, pricing and completing a business plan.

Jason William Johnson, the program’s facilitator, calls it “transformational” for entrepreneurs.

“Whether you’re thinking about growing your business or you’re just in the idea stage and don’t know exactly what to do, you should apply for the BizStarts Racine program,” he said in a statement. “You’ll get the tools, the entrepreneurial mindset, and the network you need to be successful.”

Next year’s BizStarts Racine program is slated to begin in the winter of 2025.

See the release.

— Universities of Wisconsin fall enrollment is up 1.2% overall from last year, with branch campus enrollment down 22%, according to 10th day enrollment counts.

Total enrollment is up by 1,900 students, and eight of the 13 universities saw an enrollment increase, including: UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater.

UW-Green Bay saw the biggest percent increase, up 8.2% with an additional 850 students. And the flagship UW-Madison campus saw a 2.9% increase of 1,456 students.

Overall, branch campus enrollment fell by 22%, or 1,092 students. Four individual branch campuses showed increases compared to fall 2023. Those campuses are: UW-Eau Claire – Barron County, UW-Green Bay Manitowoc, UW-Green Bay Sheboygan and UW-Whitewater Rock County.

Of the branch campuses, UW-Stevens Point Marshfield saw the biggest decrease, down 44.9%. UW-Green Bay Manitowoc saw the biggest increase, up 20.8%.

This comes amid closures of six two-year campuses across the state throughout the past two years.

Excluding UW-Madison’s increase, the system saw a 0.4% increase overall.

“Wisconsin students and parents continue to value a Universities of Wisconsin education, and we’re extremely proud that our enrollment has increased for the second year in a row,” said Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman in a statement.

Yesterday’s numbers are higher than initial numbers in September, which estimated an increase of 1,098 students.

Top headlines from the Health Care Report…

— GOP state Sen. Duey Stroebel is up with a pair of 15-second ads featuring his wife saying the truth is he supports IVF and access to birth control.

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