Northwood Tech News

Northwood Technical College is proud to announce its award of the Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) grant from the Wisconsin Technical College System that provides the opportunity for a partnership with Mosaic Technologies and the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin to enhance employee training and create a skilled workforce in telecommunications and construction. Through these grant initiatives, the College aims to meet the evolving needs of the workforce beyond the classroom walls through high-quality education and training programs.

As part of the WAT grant, $20,026 has been awarded to Northwood Tech for their collaboration with Mosaic Technologies to develop a comprehensive employee training platform to equip the workforce with the latest developments and industry best practices. The primary objective of this program is to align all employees with Mosaic Technologies' values, introduce routine operations, and familiarize them with their roles and their contribution to the company's strategic initiatives. With this program and training, employees will be given the ability to thrive in their roles, contributing to the growth of the telecommunications and technology sector as a whole.

Tammy Emerson, vice president human resources for Mosaic Technologies reflected on the objective and training developments for this collaboration. “Mosaic’s partnership with Northwood Technical College has given our team not only assistance in the development and implementation of training opportunities, but also a dynamic, consistent platform to deliver the training without the need to travel to a different location. This platform, available 24/7, seamlessly tracks progress for our Human Resources Team and awards custom digital badging to our team members upon completion, showcasing their accomplishment and acquisition of skills.  This training, standardized by department and by role, will serve to align all current and future employees with Mosaic’s values within the workplace, define day-to-day operations, and familiarize our team members with their roles and how these roles contribute to the strategic initiatives within the company.” Emerson added, “We are thankful to partner with our community neighbor, Northwood Technical College, and the Wisconsin Technical College System Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) grant which will put us on the fast track to implementing our onboarding and department training curriculum.”

As part of the WAT grant, Northwood Tech has also secured $85,698 to support the construction training program initiated by the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. This collaboration between the College and the tribe aims to equip individuals with the necessary construction skills to build and maintain affordable housing, promoting self-sufficiency within the community while assisting with the housing crisis solution. Overall, this collaboration will provide educational and job opportunities within the tribal community, fostering economic growth and empowerment.

Remarking on the significance of this partnership between Northwood Tech and the tribe, Janine McNulty, higher education and community development research/recruiter – St Croix Tribe, stated, “Tribes across America deal with housing issues and many barriers that keep tribal housing from being adequate.  The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of WI are no different.  Partnering with Northwood Technical College, we are hoping to take down some of those barriers.  Beginning this fall, Northwood Tech will be hosting Construction Essentials followed by Advanced Construction Essentials.  Tribal employees who build and help in the construction and maintenance of tribal homes in the communities of the St. Croix reservation area will be able to achieve these skills during their workday. This ability to provide place-based education helps the tribe increase employee building knowledge.  St. Croix reservation is a checkerboard of scattered land throughout Washburn, Barron, Burnett and Polk Counties and diversifying employees to assist in reservation homes will help the tribe cover more area and improve lives.”

These grants reflect Northwood Technical College's dedication to workforce development and community engagement. By partnering with entities such as Mosaic Technologies and the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, the college strives to create a sustained impact on our students, employees, and communities.