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Closing the skills gapGateway approves policy banning weapons inside buildingsGateway to expand building, benefit Horticulture studentsBahco tools donates $70,000 to Center for Sustainable LivingAlbrecht moderates national auto aftermarket industry symposiumGateway names Lauri Howard as director of workforce trainingAlbrecht leads roundtable at international wellness eventGateway delivers automotive training internationallyGateway receives G.I. Jobs Military Friendly school awardGateway partners with secondary schools to launch VANguard systemGateway releases Summer 2011 dean’s listChancellor Debbie Ford discusses future of educationGateway holds open house for Student Business IncubatorGateway to receive continued nursing program accreditation

Closing the skills gapThe need to create jobs is an important component inputting workers back to work and kickstarting our economy– but it is only the beginning. Gateway Technical Collegewill play a key role in another effort.

Specially, we need to reduce a widening gap betweenworker skills and employer needs and provide industry-driven credentials to meet labor demands locally, regionallyand nationally. Technical colleges such as Gateway canprovide those certifications to workers, certifications thatare portable and industry certified.

Why is skill building so important? There are an estimated3.2 million open positions in America, including 515,000positions in trade, transportation and utilities as of June.Many of the Level 2 jobs – defined by the Federal Bureau ofLabor Statistics as needing more than a year ofpostsecondary training or education, but less than abachelor’s degree – show significant gaps.

In addition, the Department of Labor sees as a solutionBryan Albrecht

President, Gateway Technical College

industry-recognized, “stackable” credentials with a clearly-defined system of competencies linked to employmentopportunities and advancement. Doing so will sustain theeconomy and provide workers with the skills they need fortheir career, and for business to prosper because of ahighly skilled workforce. In addition, these are skills theworker can take with them wherever they go – solid skillsthey can build on as they move further into their career.

Technical Colleges are the best at delivering the educationand training for these skills. At a news conference in June,President Obama announced a major expansion of Skills forAmerica’s Future, an industry-led initiative aimed atdramatically improving industry partnerships withcommunity colleges and building a nationwide network tomaximize workforce development strategies, job trainingprograms and job placements.

Gateway is one of the colleges participating in this effort, todeliver the education and competencies that will ultimatelyhelp workers and the economy.

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Gateway approves policybanning weapons inside buildingsIn an effort to provide a safe learning and workingenvironment, Gateway Technical College has initiated apolicy prohibiting anyone from bringing a weapon insideany college building.

Signs outlining the policy have already begun to be postedat all entrances to college buildings. “We want to promote awelcoming, healthy and safe environment in the bestinterest of our students, staff and community membersvisiting or engaging in an activity at the college,” saidDennis Sherwood, Gateway director of security and safety.

The policy was approved in response to the recentlyenacted state law allowing for the concealed carry offirearms in Wisconsin. Gateway’s policy bans all weaponsinside college facilities which includes – but isn’t limited to– such items as knives and pistols. However, it doesexempt law enforcement officers, private security staffmembers while they are performing their official duties andfirearms training instructors.

The Gateway policy does also address how weapons needto be stored in parked vehicles on college grounds. It statesthat the weapon must be out of plain sight. If the weapon

For more information,sherwoodd@gtc.edu

is a gun, it must be unloaded and stored in a locked box, orhave a locked trigger guard in place.

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Gateway to expand building,benefit Horticulture studentsGateway Technical College held a groundbreaking for thePike Creek Horticulture Center on its Kenosha Campus, aproject which will benefit Horticulture students andmembers of the Gateway district community.

The project is an addition and remodeling to the currentgreenhouse and adjoining buildings. It will add twoclassrooms and two labs to Gateway’s sustainable livingand urban gardening programs.

“This center represents a world-class training facility for ourHorticulture students,” said Gateway President BryanAlbrecht.

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For more information,jeromek@gtc.edu

Bahco tools donates $70,000to Center for Sustainable LivingBahco Tools donated $50,000 in tools and $20,000 forscholarships, toward endowing scholarships for GatewayTechnical College.

Some of the funding is expected to be used for the urbangardening lab at the new Pike Creek Horticulture Center onthe Kenosha Campus.

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For more information,sklbas@gtc.edu

Albrecht moderates national autoaftermarket industry symposiumGateway Technical College President Bryan Albrechtrecently moderated the national convention of the GlobalAutomotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) which focusedon education issues in North America and the importance ofquality training for automotive professionals.

Albrecht said at the symposium, called “The Critical Role ofCareer and Technical Education for Tomorrow’sAftermarket,” that it is important to involve and raise thebar of technical college automotive technical training toproduce well-trained technicians for the future. Albrecht isalso the president of the President’s Advisory Council forthe National Council of Advanced Technology Centers.

Gateway provides automotive technician training that isconsidered a national model approach. Gateway is also aleading partner in the NC3-National Coalition ofCertification Centers.

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Gateway names Lauri Howardas director of workforce trainingGateway Technical College has hired Lauri Howard as thenew director of workforce training in the Workforce andEconomic Development Division. Howard replaces EdKnudson who recently retired.

Howard is originally from Grand Rapids, Mich., where sheworked for the Business and Technology division of GrandRapids Community College for 10 years, teaching creditand non-credit courses. She most recently worked, for fiveyears, as an administrator for a large non-profit in thecentral valley of California overseeing the staff and budgetfor 35 programs.

Howard is responsible for contracts for service among areaemployers and high schools, as well as professionaldevelopment workshops and WEDD faculty oversight.

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To contact Lauri Howard:(262) 564-2990, howardl@gtc.edu

Albrecht leads roundtableat international wellness eventGateway Technical College President Bryan Albrecht waspart of a three-member chief executive officer roundtable

discussion at the international Workplace Healthconference.

Albrecht joined CEOs from Canada and the United States onAugust 24 to help lead the “Leading by Example: Making aDifference Through Workplace Health” discussion.Gateway’s national accolades for and success with its staffwellness programs made Albrecht uniquely qualified to helplead the discussion.

The roundtable discussion at the Toronto event focused onhelping other executives to understand how wellnessprograms can benefit their organization and how tosuccessfully implement them. The overall event broughttogether senior level human resource managers to see howinnovative programs such as Gateway’s wellness programcan positively impact their organization.

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Gateway delivers automotivetraining internationallyThrough a grant from Higher Education for Development(HED), Gateway Technical College and ShorelineCommunity College of Seattle faculty members deliveredSnap-on Solus Pro diagnostics training to nine automotiveinstructors in Oujda, Morocco.

The purpose of the grant is to assist the UniversitieMohammed Premier in the development of its automotiveprogram. The training delivered recently was the secondphase of the grant. The initial phase was the assessment offaculty and the facility at the college in Morocco in Fall2010. Since last year, the college has built an automotivetraining lab and is in the process of replicating Gateway'sHorizon Center for Transportation Technology model.

The training delivered to the Moroccan college facultymembers prepares them for delivery of their new autoprogram which has 25 students enrolled, including threeyoung women. Gateway staff members to visit and helpdeliver the training included administrators Bryan Albrecht,Debbie Davidson and Beverly Frazier as well as automotiveinstructor Bill Fell.

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For more information,davidsond@gtc.edu

Gateway receives G.I. JobsMilitary Friendly school awardG.I. Jobs, the premier magazine for military personneltransitioning into civilian life, has awarded GatewayTechnical College the designation of Military FriendlySchool. The 2012 Military Friendly Schools list honors thetop 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schoolswhich are doing the most to embrace America’s militaryservice members and veterans as students.

The colleges, universities and trade schools on this year’slist prioritize the recruitment of students with militaryexperience. These colleges and schools are making thegrade by offering scholarships and discounts, veterans’clubs, full-time staff, military credit and other services tothose who served.

“To be recognized for our college’s commitment to servethose who have served our country is a humbling honor,”said Gateway Technical College President Bryan Albrecht.

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http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/

Gateway partners with secondaryschools to launch VANguard systemGateway Technical College has launched the distancelearning initiative VANguard, a virtual academic networkwhich will allow the college’s K-12 educational partners andtheir students access to classes in topics of which they mayotherwise not have access.

The VANguard initiative partners state-of-the-arttechnology, including video classroom technology, onlinelearning tools and other emerging technology, to meet theneeds of K12 students by giving them the opportunity toenroll in classes taught at a remote site. The technologyallows schools to expand and share their course offeringsand even access some technical college-level courses. Iteven provides a forum for professional developmentopportunities for staff members.

Gateway helped establish the system as a way to promotelearning opportunities for its K12 partners. Some of thehigh school courses shared include foreign language andAdvanced Placement courses, college courses includepsychology and sociology and statewide courses includeastronomy and food science.

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http://vanguard.gtc.edu

Gateway releasesSummer 2011 dean’s listGateway Technical College has released its dean’s list forthe Summer 2011 semester. This award is reserved forthose students who completed at least 6 hours ofpostsecondary coursework and who achieved a grade pointaverage of 3.75 or higher. This distinction recognizes thedetermination, dedication and effort necessary to attain thislevel of academic success.

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For complete list,www.gtc.edu/deanslist

Chancellor Debbie Forddiscusses future of educationUniversity of Wisconsin-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Forddiscussed the future of education – including highereducation’s role in meeting the goals set by PresidentObama on the Elkhorn Campus recently.

Ford said education has changed more in the past 10 yearsthan the previous 30 combined and that today’s studentshave different needs than even a decade ago – needs thatneed to be met by higher education. Yesterday’s“non-traditional” students are today’s “traditional”students.

“We need to lead this cultural change where we putstudents at the center of education,” Ford said.

Part of doing that entails all higher educational institutionsto collaborate to make better use of talent and resources –which, ultimately, benefits students and their ability tosuccessfully graduate and enter their career.

Chancellor Ford’s presentation was the final in a serieslooking at the past, present, and future state of education. The series was created in celebration of Gateway’s 100thanniversary.

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Debbie Ford,University of Wisconsin-Parkside chancellor

Gateway holds open housefor Student Business IncubatorSeveral Gateway Technical College students and alumnidiscovered how the college’s Student Business Incubatorcould help them start their own business, at an open houseOctober 20 at the Center for Advanced Technology andInnovation in Sturtevant.

The event provided a way for Gateway students and alumnito learn about the assistance, services and space availableto them as entrepreneurs. The incubator provides alearning lab for students and alumni yet also gives themaccess and opportunity to run the office portion of theirnew business from the site.

Facilities and services available to students and recentalumni include semi-private office space, innovation andcollaboration space, business plan counseling, mentoringfrom incubator staff, office services and equipment, accessto local investment services as well as other resources andassistance.

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For more information,http://www.gtc.edu/page.asp?q=821

Gateway to receive continuednursing program accreditationGateway Technical College has received continuedaccreditation of its associate degree nursing program forthe next eight years through the National League forNursing Accreditation Commission, the maximum numberof years that can be given to a college.

The accreditation comes as part of a scheduledaccreditation process by the Atlanta-based group whichincluded a comprehensive review of the entire nursingprogram. The evaluators reviewed student admissions,associate degree nursing program curriculum, classroomand clinical instruction, student evaluations and graduatesuccess on the Wisconsin State Nurse Licensure Exam. Additionally, a number of public meetings were held togather public, industry and graduate perception of theprogram.

The continued accreditation of the Gateway programpermits Gateway Nursing program graduates to be eligibleto apply for the state nursing licensure examination, as wellas means Gateway meets the requirements of articulationagreements with several four-year colleges. The college willhave to complete a two-year follow-up report as well.

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For more information,skewesd@gtc.edu

You may email questions or comments about CommunityConnection to Jayne Herring at herringj@gtc.edu or LeeColony at colonyl@gtc.edu

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