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WAI Project Operators

Grant Contact Information, Grant Awards, and Updates from Boards

Project operators are located regionally by Workforce Development Area.

WDA 1 - Southeast: Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth Counties WDA 2 - Milwaukee County WDA 3 - WOW: Washington, Ozaukee, and Waukesha Counties WDA 4 - Fox Valley: Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago Counties WDA 5 - Bay Area: Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, and Sheboygan Counties WDA 6 - North Central: Adams, Wood, Portage, Marathon, Lincoln, Langlade, Vilas, Oneida, and Forest Counties WDA 7 - Northwest: Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Washburn Counties WDA 8 - West Central: Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix Counties WDA 9 - Western: Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon Counties WDA 10 - South Central: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Marquette, and Sauk Counties WDA 11 - Southwest: Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland, and Rock Counties Clickable map to flip the tabs on the right

To locate a Job Center near you, please visit the Wisconsin Job Center Directory.

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WDA 1

Counties: Kenosha, Racine, & Walworth

Southeastern WI Workforce Development Board:

Anthony Mundy, Center Manager / Career Planner Manager - First Point of Contact
400 County Rd H
Elkhorn, WI 53121
Phone: (262) 741-5272
Email: amundy@dwfs.us

Chris Isaacson, Project Director - Second Point of Contact
8600 Sheridan Rd.
Kenosha, WI 53143
Phone: (262) 994-0402
Email: cisaacson@dwfs.us

Doug Bartz, Executive Director – Board Point of Contact
400 County Rd H
Elkhorn, WI 53121
Phone: (262) 697-4586
Email: doug.bartz@kenoshacountywi.gov

Website: www.sewrks.com


DWD awarded $610,061 in grant funding to serve 60 participants

Providing Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) boot camps in two cohorts through Gateway Technical College and Commercial Driver's License (CDL) classes with Milwaukee CDL. Individuals at the Ellsworth Correction Center will have the opportunity to participate in the CDL class.

WDA 2

County: Milwaukee

Employ Milwaukee, Inc

Julie Cayo
2342 N. 27th St
Milwaukee, WI 53210
Phone: (414) 270-1700
julie.cayo@employmilwaukee.org

WAI Website Information


DWD awarded $1,999,791 in grant funding to serve 400 participants

Launching BankWork$, an eight-week retail banking career training class targeting youth and adults from low income and minority communities through partnerships with government agencies, community- and faith-based organizations. Training will include workplace professionalism, forging customer relationships, financial services fundamentals, and preparing for employment. Employ Milwaukee is partnering with Teens Grow Greens to provide teens with hands on experience and skills building. This program will help youth build local connections and have project-based learning in horticulture, cooking, and environmental justice.

WDA 3

Counties: Waukesha, Ozaukee, & Washington (WOW)

WOW Workforce Development Board:

Forward Careers, Inc.
Waukesha American Job Center
2607 N Grandview Blvd #100
Waukesha, WI 53188
Phone: (262) 695-7880
Email: contact@forwardcareers.org
Website: https://www.forwardcareers.org/


DWD awarded $1,114,480 in grant funding to serve 115 participants

Presenting workforce training that blends classroom instruction with work-based learning. Training will rapidly train and upskill participants, addressing the needs of key growth sectors such as advanced manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, childcare, professional/business management, and transportation logistics/warehousing.

WDA 4

Counties: Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Waupaca, Waushara, & Winnebago

Fox Valley Workforce Development Board:

Forward Service Corporation
Lea Keesler
1050 Midway Rd Bldg A Unit B
Menasha, WI 54952
Email: lkeesler@FSC-corp.org

Website: www.foxvalleywork.org and www.foxvalleyjobcenters.com


DWD awarded $1,164,625 in grant funding to serve 75 participants

Delivering hands-on training in CDL and welding to fill skilled trades gaps through local counties and in partnership with Moraine Park Technical College. An onsite mobile welding lab will be offered for incarcerated women at Taycheedah Corrections Institution. Training will also include separate IT and project management courses with an introduction to Artificial Intelligent course through various University of Wisconsin campuses.

WDA 5

Counties: Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, & Sheboygan

Bay Area Workforce Development Board:

Sarah Klapper, Director of Impact and Operations
520 N. Broadway, Ste 320
Green Bay, WI 54301
Phone: (920) 634-8168
Email: sklapper@bayareawdb.org

Website: www.bayareawdb.org


DWD awarded $900,000 in grant funding to serve 100 participants

Providing skills accelerators training through a partnership with gener8tor focusing on industries such as supply chain and logistics, and finance. Training will be delivered by a hybrid approach and will use case project development to enable participants to apply AI solutions to industry challenges.

WDA 6

Counties: Adams, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Vilas, & Wood

North Central Workforce Development Board:

Amy Hoppa, Special Projects Coordinator
2801 Hoover Road, Suite 1A
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: (715) 343-4330
Email: ahoppa@ncwwdb.org

Website: www.ncwwdb.org


DWD awarded $1,065,075 in grant funding to serve 80 participants

Presenting short-term training opportunities in healthcare, childcare, tourism-related occupations, welding, home energy audit and solar installation, CDL, and construction trades. Courses will be offered in conjunction with local technical colleges and trainers with a focus on engaging unemployed and underemployed workers in addition to people re-entering the workforce following incarceration.

WDA 7

Counties: Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, & Washburn

Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board:

Dawn Knapp, Director of Grants
301 Ellis Ave, Suite 3
Ashland, WI 54806
Phone: (715) 201-9514
Email: dknapp@nwwib.com

Webpage: nwwib.com/wai


DWD awarded $690,640 in grant funding to serve 70 participants

Delivering comprehensive training in fields including CDL and heavy equipment operation in partnership with Midwest Truck Driving Schools. Participants will earn the OSHA 40 certification, a training for workplace safety and regulatory compliance. In addition, this grant offers training through climate solutions company Slipstream in the building science principles industry, certify participants for energy auditing or energy contractor work. Eligible candidates will be identified through local community-based organizations, tribes, and local businesses.

WDA 8

Counties: Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, & St. Croix

West Central Works:

Deb Nichols, Grants Manager-Main Contact
401 Technology Drive Suite 400
Menomonie, WI 54751
715-235-8393 ext. 106
715-382-6566 cell
Email: dnichols@wdbwcw.org

Jon Menz, CEO, Secondary Contact
401 Technology Drive Suite 400
Menomonie, WI 54751
Phone: (715) 235-8393 ext. 100
Email: westcentralworks1@wdbwcw.org


DWD awarded $719,327 in grant funding to serve 150 participants

Providing new worker training through Certified Pre-Apprenticeship programs in welding (Beginner and Advanced courses) and childcare with Northwood Technical College. Training will focus on jobs that leading to economic self-sufficiency and sustainable wages.

WDA 9

Counties: Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, & Vernon


WDB 9 is not currently operating programming under the WAI grant. If you're interested in being served by this grant, please contact one of the other WDAs in the state. Other workforce programming is available in this region via the American Job Center.

WDA 10

Counties: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Marquette, & Sauk

Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin:

Becca Collins, WAI Program Coordinator
3513 Anderson St
Madison, WI 53704
Phone: 608.249.9001
Fax: (608) 249.9356
Email: bcollins@wdbscw.org

Website: wdbscw.org


DWD awarded $1,343,100 in grant funding to serve 225 participants

Providing new worker training through Certified Pre-Apprenticeship programs in welding (Beginner and Advanced courses) and childcare with Northwood Technical College. Training will focus on jobs that leading to economic self-sufficiency and sustainable wages.

WDA 11

Counties: Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland, & Rock

Southwest WI Workforce Development Board:

Kris Case, Project Coordinator
1717 Center Ave
Janesville, WI 53546
Phone: (608) 931-1465
Email: k.case@swwdb.org

Gail Graham, Director of Business Services
1717 Center Ave
Janesville, WI 53546
Phone: (608) 295-4887
Email: g.graham@swwdb.org

Website: www.swwdb.org


DWD awarded $685,422 in grant funding to serve 143 participants

Offering training projects in Accelerated Industrial Maintenance (AIM), the Fire Academy, CNA training, and welding. Training will be provided to three cohorts in the AIM summer program; one cohort in the Fire Academy; three cohorts in CNA trainees to prepare for the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program exam and state accreditation; one cohort of welding trainees in the Prairie Du Chien Correctional Institution; and one cohort of welding trainees at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College.