Dane County Human Services & Centro Hispano Receive $63,000 Wisconsin Fast Forward Grant to Help Staff Gain College Credit

August 14, 2019
Ariana Vruwink 608-267-8823
County Executive

Grant Emphasizes Dane County’s Commitment to Improve Equity

Dane County Department of Human Services and Centro Hispano, in partnership with Madison College, have been awarded a $63,000 Wisconsin Fast Forward grant from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to provide training to new and incumbent staff. The training—which will focus on staff of color who may not have a full college degree—includes new curriculum that incorporates certification options, college credits, and applied work hours to help foster employee recruitment, retention, and engagement.

“Our Department of Human Services staff go beyond the call of duty to serve our community and connect vulnerable residents to helpful resources,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “This grant will further our efforts to improve equity in our community and provide our staff with the opportunity to advance their career goals.”

With the help of the Wisconsin Fast Forward grant, Dane County Human Services—Children, Youth, and Families and Centro Hispano will partner with Madison College to provide training to three new and 11 incumbent staff. The trainees will receive 12 credits through Madison College in the area of Human Services through a customized curriculum.

“We are excited about being able to leverage this opportunity to continue the critical equity work of the department,” said Director of Human Services Shawn Tessmann. “I’m thrilled that this partnership will allow us to incentivize and support our Children, Youth, and Families team in a way that will benefit them professionally as well as the community at large.”

DWD presented more than $1.6 million to 10 Wisconsin employers for employee training, developing in-demand, transferable skills. The grants encourage partnerships between employers, educators, workforce development entities, and economic development organizations. The grants will serve 11 businesses and at least 893 trainees across Wisconsin.