GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Manufacturing students at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College will soon be receiving additional help, and students like Salvador Galaviz couldn’t be happier.
“It’s a great opportunity for people like me, for people that don’t have 100 percent English on them, that can come and know they’re going to have the help they need,” he said.
These scholarships will help over 50 students put their skills to work at the NWTC campus. The scholarships are the result of a partnership between Xometry, NWTC and the Greater Green Bay Chamber. The full scholarships will cover roughly $9,000 per year. They will be awarded to students in programs like machine tool operation, metal fabrication and welding. Eight district Republican Mike Gallagher said the scholarships will continue making northeast Wisconsin one of the top manufacturing markets in the country.
“This is an absolute treasure, what we have right here at NWTC,” he said. “What you’re doing here is absolutely essential. Every time I come here and I learn about a new program, I’m just blown away.”
NWTC President Jeff Rafn is looking forward to the ways that students will benefit. He said there is no set amount that the school will be awarding, but he said future students who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to go to college will now have that opportunity.
“This program is committed to providing those kind of services,” he said. “So there really is absolutely no reason from a financial standpoint that a person should not participate in this program.”
Eric Vanden Heuvel from the Greater Green Bay Chamber said the external help is a blessing.
“A program like this comes in a critical area, helps to bring in common missions for different organizations and will allow us to make a dent in the talent crisis that really faces all industries, but especially manufacturing,” he said.
Any student accepted into one of 27 qualifying programs is eligible to receive a scholarship. The scholarships will be offered to students this fall.
