Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

TOMMY G. THOMPSON Governor State of Wisconsin

For Immediate Release - November 2, 1998
Contact: David Blaska (608) 266-6925

GOVERNOR NAMES "TOMORROW'S WORKFORCE" PANEL

Madison - Gov. Tommy G. Thompson today named the 20 business, labor, and educational leaders to map out the future of technical and industrial education for high school and post-secondary students.

The task force is part of the Initiative on Building Tomorrow’s Workforce, which the governor created in September to keep employers and high-skill jobs growing in Wisconsin. The Initiative responds to five workforce forums held this summer throughout the state involving 435 businesses in which, overwhelmingly, employers said they needed more and better-trained workers.

"This task force brings a broad range of expertise from throughout Wisconsin to the open new doors of opportunity so that Wisconsin workers and businesses can continue to prosper," Gov. Thompson said.

The task force will be co-chaired by Phil Neuenfeldt, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, Milwaukee, and Dave Eberhardt, plant manager, Tecumseh, Inc, Grafton.

The task force will recommend strategies to expand apprenticeship programs and to increase technical education opportunities in high school and post-secondary institutions. Its report is expected in late January.

The combination of strong job growth and an aging workforce has resulted in a shortage of well paid, skilled workers in the technical and industrial fields. The task force will concentrate on:

• Attracting young people to technical fields
• Re-employing disadvantaged and dislocated workers, and
• Improving job retention and advancement.

Members of the task force members are:

Phil Neuenfeldt, vice president of the AFL-CIO, Milwaukee, co-chair
Dave Eberhardt, plant operations manager, Tecumseh Products Co., Grafton, co-chair
Sheila Cochran, recording secretary, United Auto Workers, Oak Creek
Lyle Balistreri, president, Milwaukee Building Trades Council
Tom Lesch, director, International Association of Machinists, District 10, Milwaukee
Dean Smith, plant manager, Waukesha Engine Company, Waukesha
Richard Kolbe, vice president, Giddings & Lewis, Fond du Lac
Doug Mouqin, corporate director, Phillips Plastics Corp., Phillips
Bryan Albrecht, lifework education director, Wis. Department of Public Instruction
Clark Lovell, director of educational services, Milwaukee Public Schools
Dan Nerad, assistant superintendent, Green Bay Area Public Schools
Richard Anderson, president, Waukesha County Technical College, Pewaukee
John Birkholz, president, Milwaukee Area Technical College
Bill Ihlenfeldt, president, Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire
Nancy Zimpher, chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Gerard Randall, director, Milwaukee Private Industry Council
Ted Hutton, director of community affairs, Allen Bradley Co., Milwaukee
Bert Grover, special assistant to the governor on school to work, Gresham
Darlene Rhindo, manager of training and development, Harley-Davidson, Milwaukee
Fred Beyer, president, Wisconsin Technical Education Association, Shawano

 

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