Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Contact: Tony Jewell (608) 267-7303

   
GOVERNOR PRESENTS APRIL WIN AWARD

MADISON—Gov. Tommy G. Thompson today announced that the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee has been presented with the Governor’s Workforce Innovation Award (WIN), which recognizes individuals and organizations that create innovative approaches and outside-of-the-box solutions to develop and sustain Wisconsin’s workforce.

The YWCA of Greater Milwaukee created the Creative Workshop program as a means of teaching work skills within a business environment.  The program provides a combination of training, and work skills evaluation within a production oriented business.

The YWCA created the Circle of Women clothing line last April to give W-2 recipients a creative job training experience.  This is a creative outlet for participants to design clothing such as trendy overalls and sweaters that routinely sell for $150 each at upscale women’s boutiques across the country.

To be considered for one of the 30 available slots in Circle of Women, participants must first graduate from the Academy of Excellence, a two-week job readiness and motivational workshop that introduces W-2 participants to skills they will need in the workplace.

"We recognize the YWCA for its outstanding efforts to not only provide job training, but encourage our W-2 participants to utilize their natural talents and we certainly hope other companies across Wisconsin will emulate what the YWCA has done so successfully," Gov. Thompson said.

So far the clothing line has far exceeded the YWCA’s expectations.  Since starting the program in June 1999, the Circle of Women clothing line has used 1,360 pounds of post consumer wool to make 223 wool sweaters, 56 hats, 200 pair of mittens, 28 pair of fingerless gloves, and 20 footies.  About Ľ of the finished products have been donated to needy families.  The money that the program makes in sales goes back into the program for training, materials and hiring staff members.

The WIN award is presented each month to highlight innovative approaches and solutions to overcoming barriers to work, empowering individuals to move up the job ladder, and partnering with employers, educators and local government to do what works to build a stronger workforce.

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