Tech colleges serving more than half of adult population in state

MADISON – A study of Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges shows more than half of all adults in the state have used the technical colleges for education and training over the last decade. According to the Wisconsin Technical College System, more than two million adults, or 51 percent of all individuals 18 or older, have taken courses at the colleges from 1995 through 2004.

"This means much of our workforce has acquired skills from our technical colleges and significant numbers of our businesses have benefited from these skills," said Dan Clancy, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System. "These numbers clearly demonstrate the economic impact our colleges have on the state," Clancy added.

Most students in the technical college system are 19 and 20 years old but the median age of career program students is over 30 years old. Individuals access the technical colleges at various times throughout their working adult lives.

"It’s nearly impossible to go through a day without encountering one of our graduates providing services necessary to every-day life because our graduates are everywhere," said Clancy. "Most people don’t realize that the overwhelming majority of health care professionals are educated at the technical colleges, or that virtually all public protection professionals like fire fighters and police officers are trained at the technical colleges."

The System also reports that most technical college students are focusing on jobs in addition to their studies. Approximately nine out of every ten students enrolled in career programs are working adults.

"The technical colleges are known as places individuals turn when they need to improve their job skills for current or future positions or bolster their jobs skills for career advancement," Clancy said. "There is no post-secondary system of higher learning that serves more workers in this state."

The Wisconsin Technical College System has 16 technical college districts throughout Wisconsin, which offer more than 300 programs awarding two-year associate degrees, one and two-year technical diplomas and short-term technical diplomas. In addition, the system is the major provider of customized training and technical assistance to Wisconsin’s business and industry community. Nearly a half million individuals are educated by Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges each year. Find more about educational programs at www.witechcolleges.org.