The Wisconsin Technology Council has been awarded a Talent Recruitment Grant to support efforts aimed at attracting specialized talent to frontier technology companies in Rock County and south central Wisconsin, helping strengthen the state’s innovation economy.
The grant is part of a statewide initiative announced by Gov. Tony Evers and WEDC that is investing $5 million into 17 communities and organizations focused on workforce attraction and retention efforts across Wisconsin.
The Tech Council’s initiative will support employers working in sectors such as batteries, fusion energy, quantum technologies and other advanced science and technology industries that are rapidly expanding across the region. The program is designed to help employers recruit highly specialized talent for high-tech, high-wage positions while strengthening connections between employers, communities and talent networks across south central Wisconsin.
“South central Wisconsin is seeing tremendous momentum around frontier technologies, and this initiative helps employers compete nationally for the highly specialized workers needed for continued growth,” said Maggie Brickerman, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. “This is an opportunity to strengthen Wisconsin’s innovation economy while helping companies grow and communities thrive.”
“Fueling the regional economy relies heavily on strategic, talent focused public/private sector partnerships,” said James Otterstein, economic development manager for Rock County. “The I/39-90 corridor from the Stateline to the capitol region is positioned for continuous investment, and the addition of this collaborative talent offering will further enhance the area’s overall competitiveness.”
Regional leaders say the employer-driven structure of the program is one of its greatest strengths because it directly connects workforce attraction efforts to real hiring needs and long-term economic growth opportunities.
“SHINE is leading the transition to the fusion economy, and the specialized, highly technical talent that requires is harder to recruit every year. This grant helps us bring those people to Wisconsin and keep them here, which strengthens both our company and the whole region,” said Eric Schutt, chief of staff of SHINE. “We’re grateful to the Tech Council, WEDC and Gov. Evers for investing in the workforce that fusion energy companies like ours depend on.”
The initiative is also expected to support broader regional growth by attracting workers and families who can contribute to Wisconsin communities for years to come.
“We’re proud to play a key role in the growing scientific and technology corridor in southern Wisconsin,” said Chris Hart, vice president, human resources at NorthStar. “The Tech Council’s forward-thinking initiative will help us continue to attract, develop and retain our highly skilled workforce, which not only boosts the local economy, but allows our region to make a global impact in the development of novel cancer therapies.”
The Tech Council will work alongside employer partners and regional stakeholders to demonstrate the success of the model with the goal of expanding the initiative to additional employers and regions across Wisconsin in the future.
The Wisconsin Technology Council is the science and technology advisor to the Governor and Legislature. The Tech Council works to advance Wisconsin’s innovation economy by supporting entrepreneurship, investment, research, workforce development and emerging technologies across the state.
