Local School Districts Selected to Receive Fast Forward Grant

Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024 -- 10:01 AM

Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), announced that 4,637 students in 17 school districts will benefit from advanced manufacturing training in preparation for high-demand job opportunities thanks to grants from the Wisconsin Fast Forward Program.

The current round of Wisconsin Fast Forward grants from DWD totals $408,123 for school districts across the state to train students for career paths involving robotics, welding, plasma cutting, 3D printing, drones, and more.

These grants reimburse school districts for the costs of purchasing and installing technical education equipment used for vocational training and technical education in advanced manufacturing fields.

This includes the purchase of new equipment such as computer numerical control machines, robotic welders, fiber laser cutting machines, 3D printers, and more. High school students will train in advanced manufacturing fields to prepare for stable careers while they obtain dual enrollment credits, industry-endorsed certificates, and technical endorsements on high school diplomas.

Advanced manufacturing refers to a family of manufacturing activities that depend on the use and coordination of information, automation, computation, software, sensing, and networking, and/or use of cutting-edge materials and emerging production capabilities enabled by the physical and biological sciences, including nanotechnology, chemistry, and biology.

This involves both new ways of manufacturing existing products and manufacturing new products emerging from advanced technologies.Some local recipients of the awards include: School District of Spencer in Marathon County will receive $7,844.

The school district will use grant funds for an Epilog Fusion Maker 24 40W laser engraver, which will expand students’ exploration of digital manufacturing, addressing critical equipment needs and preparing them for future careers in manufacturing.

Also, Augusta Area School District in Eau Claire County will receive $35,798. The school district will use grant funds for a CRX collaborative robot integration package and a FANUC CNC Simulator.

The equipment will provide students with industry-recognized certifications from FANUC-NOCTI and NIMS, ensuring they graduate with practical skills in high-demand manufacturing sectors.

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