TUE AM News: Report details employment growth concerns for SE WI; Marquette professor getting grant for graduate computer science program

November 3, 2026

— Employment growth is a persistent concern for southeastern Wisconsin, as Milwaukee’s labor market has weakened relative to six comparable metro areas, a new report shows.

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, along with the Milwaukee 7 and the Marquette University’s Center for Applied Economics, yesterday issued the Metro Milwaukee Economic Insights report. It was co-authored by Prof. Grace Wang, who directs the center, and others at the university.

Unemployment in the seven-county M7 region averaged 3.9%, below the national rate of 4.4%, and its average labor force grew 0.4% between January and August of this year compared to the same period of 2025. By comparison, five of the six “peer metros” included in the report saw labor force declines for that period.

“However, the region’s labor market is showing relative weakness” through other measures, authors wrote.

By August of this year, metro Milwaukee payroll employment declined 0.3% over the year while the state overall grew by 0.6% and the nation grew by 0.3%.

At the same time, the unemployment rate for the M7 was above the average for its six peer metros, 3.6%. And it fell from the second-lowest among peers last year to fifth-lowest this year.

Those comparable metro areas include Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

“Employment trends also vary considerably across industries, with education and health services, as well as other services, lagging statewide growth,” authors wrote, adding “the region continues to show signs of stability, but employment growth remains a concern.”

Employment in education and health services rose by just 0.3% from January to August in the metro Milwaukee area, far below the state overall at 1.6% and the peer metro average of 1.1%. Average construction employment for metro Milwaukee rose 3.9% during that period relative to the prior year, below the statewide increase of 6%.

Meanwhile, retail employment dropped by 2.9% and other services declined by 1.8% over the same period. Authors note those are larger drops for these industries than any of the six peer metros experienced.

“The data suggest that M7’s labor market has not been strong enough to absorb new entrants into the workforce at the same pace as in previous years,” authors wrote. “Sustaining labor force growth while accelerating job creation should remain a key regional priority.”

See the full report.

— A Marquette University professor is getting $538,000 for a computer science graduate education program he says will break down financial barriers.

Dennis Brylow, a professor and chair of the university’s Department of Computer Science, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education for funding through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need program.

The grant will support four GAANN fellows for three years within the university’s computer science doctoral program, according to details released yesterday. Marquette says it will provide financial and other support for these fellows to pursue research and teaching in this field, which is facing a national shortage for these areas.

Brylow says the funding will help expand and diversify the pipeline of doctoral scholars focused on computer science, noting a “lack of visible role models” among grad students and faculty is holding some back.

“We are finding that domestic computer science graduates are not encouraged to pursue graduate studies due to the high educational cost and already fair salary an undergraduate degree commands,” he said in the release.

See more on his work.

— Four meat processing companies in Wisconsin are getting just over $1 million in federal grant funding from the USDA.

USDA Rural Development Wisconsin State Director Andrew Iverson and U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil yesterday announced $1.07 million in total funding for the meat processing projects. Funding comes from the fourth phase of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program.

“This investment will increase processing capacity in Wisconsin to lower costs for Wisconsin families,” said Steil, a Janesville Republican who represents the state’s 1st CD.

Recipients include: Durand Smokehouse LLC in Durand, with a $158,250 grant; Lake Geneva Country Meats, with $212,268; Salcherts Market Inc. in St. Cloud, $250,000; and Wilson Farm Meats in Elkhorn, $456,129.

They’re using the funds to buy and incorporate new equipment, expand production capacity and reconfigure existing facilities.

— Marshfield Clinic’s Beaver Dam medical center officially joined the UW Health system over the weekend, adding 350 workers to the health system.

UW Health yesterday announced it completed the transaction yesterday with Sanford Health Marshfield Clinic Health System for Marshfield Medical Center – Beaver Dam, starting a phased integration process.

The facility will be renamed UW Health Beaver Dam Hospital and Clinics, though Chief Strategy Officer Carey Gehl says patients shouldn’t expect many changes for at least several months.

“Patients might start to see new signage in places, but appointments will proceed as scheduled with the care teams they know,” she said in a release.

While services and healthcare will continue as planned across the hospital, its clinics, pharmacy and other segments, UW Health says it is moving ahead with “aligning clinical systems” and expanding connections to specialists and programs. Plus, the health system says it’s recruiting new employees for long-term care roles.

Meanwhile, patients’ accepted insurance coverage isn’t changing, according to the announcement. The health system says billing will also remain the same “for now,” and adds it will provide advance notice and support if processes do change.

Patients currently using the My Marshfield Clinic platform can keep doing so until they transition to the UW Health MyChart system in March 2027.

— State health officials are sounding the alarm on a phishing campaign, warning of emails impersonating agency staff.

The Department of Health Services says this campaign aims to obtain credentials and personal information. While specific emails differ, the agency says each impersonates its staff members and includes a link to review or submit a bid proposal.

The release includes an example of one such email, which includes DHS branding and a blue rectangular graphic urging the recipient to click through to visit the agency’s website. DHS says the link goes to a fake Microsoft login page which requests credentials from the user.

DHS is urging anyone who received such a message to delete it, noting it will never ask anyone to click a link in order to enter personal information. The agency says anyone who already clicked the link should inform their IT team right away.

See the release.

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— Madison-based EnsoData is touting a new certification for its sleep study software from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, calling it an “important step” for the company.

The startup recently announced its EnsoSleep AP scoring software for in-home and laboratory sleep studies is the first software to receive full “autoscoring certification” from AASM. The group independently validated the platform’s performance across four scoring domains: sleep staging, respiratory events, arousals and leg movements.

EnsoSleep analyzes signals from in-lab and at-home sleep studies to assist clinicians in evaluating sleep and diagnosing sleep disorders.

“This milestone reflects the depth of EnsoSleep’s capabilities and a decades-long commitment to clinical quality and real-world accuracy,” EnsoData co-founder and Chief AI Officer Sam Rusk said in a statement. “For clinicians, it provides another reason to integrate AI into their workflow and enables more time to focus on patients.”

See more at Madison Startups.

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