MADISON ? On the heels of his 2023 State of the State address announcement of more than $190 million in investments to bolster Wisconsin?s workforce, Gov. Tony Evers and Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Amy Pechacek today announced a new ?Winning with Wisconsin?s Workforce? initiative to continue building on the administration?s groundbreaking workforce development efforts. The initiative includes a statewide series of forums designed to highlight workforce development investments, available funding, resources to aid competitiveness, and local successes with worker recruitment and retention.??

The free forums were organized by DWD, Wisconsin?s regional Workforce Development Boards, and local partners. Employers, educators, community leaders, nonprofit service providers, and more are encouraged to attend. Interested participants can learn more here and register for any of the upcoming sessions here.??

The first round of quarterly forums will run from Feb. 14 to March 8, 2023, and continue throughout the year. Topics covered will include apprenticeship, hiring opportunities with veterans and workers with disabilities, funding for customized worker training, efforts to remove workforce barriers, and strategies for boosting workforce participation.

?Our administration has made a historic commitment to workforce development, and in my State of the State address, I announced that we?re going to build on that work and our economic momentum by investing in initiatives to retain and attract talented workers and remove barriers to employment in every sector of our state?s economy,? said Gov. Evers. ?Our ?Winning with Wisconsin?s Workforce? series offers a unique chance to elevate regional success stories, identify helpful resources, and learn more from attendees so we can continue working together to successfully address our state?s longstanding workforce challenges.?

?Wisconsin?s regional workforce development boards and local partners serve as employers? go-to experts for recruiting, retaining, training, and accessing underutilized talent pools,? said DWD Secretary Pechacek. ?The ?Winning?with Wisconsin?s Workforce? series will bring employers together to strengthen partnerships and connect them with these resources.? ??

The 11 workforce development areas feature integrated business service teams that work with employers to find solutions when it comes to recruiting qualified workers, retaining well-trained employees, accessing workforce planning resources, and building staff diversity through a broad pool of skilled job candidates. ??

Featured speakers at the ?Winning with Wisconsin?s Workforce? events will include leaders of the local workforce development boards, DWD and administration officials, top local employers, and local workforce resource experts. The first round of events will take place in the following communities:?

• Northwest Region: Feb. 14, Superior, Phillips, and Hayward
• South Central Region: Feb. 15, Jefferson
• Southeast Region: Feb. 23, Kenosha
• Western Region: Feb. 23, Sparta
• Southwest Region: Feb. 23, Janesville
• North Central Region: Feb. 24, Wisconsin Rapids
• Fox Valley and Bay Area Region: March 3, Appleton
• Milwaukee Region: March 8, Milwaukee

The first round of free events will provide an overview of resources, key labor market data, and the importance of focusing on homegrown talent. Subsequent events will highlight efforts to remove workforce barriers, promote workforce participation, and build workforce capacity through technology and training. ??

Interested participants can learn more here and register for any of the upcoming sessions here.