Teacher Training Program To Address Tech Ed Teacher Shortage In North-Central Wisconsin

A new teacher training program in central Wisconsin aims to address a shortage of technology education teachers. Graduates would be equipped to teach a wide range of disciplines including construction, electronics and engineering in K-12.

Northcentral Technical College and Marian University of Wisconsin hope to launch the program in the fall.

Aspiring teachers would get an associate’s degree in a technology field before taking courses in teaching.

Jeannie Worden is the executive vice president of student services and regional campuses with NTC. She said area public school districts have long struggled to hire teachers with technology specialties.

“(Students) could get their associate’s degree from NTC, Marian could teach them how to teach at the middle school and secondary level,” Worden explained. “They’d do their practice teaching at those same K-12’s that have said they have the shortage and then they’re able to get their degree and go right into the workforce.”

The college and university hope having more tech ed teachers will inspire children to enter those fields.

“There is a workforce shortage of employees that are able to go into the workforce and are manufacturing,” Worden said. “And those degrees are related to tech ed, so this builds that pipeline right from school from tech ed right into the workforce.”

Mike Endres is a district administrator for the Spencer School District. He and other area administrators expressed the need for such a program, and added hiring teachers in the region is already difficult.

“Especially in the more concentrated areas such as your tech ed area, your English, science,” he said. “The more specialized areas it’s getting more and more difficult to even find applicants.”

While the Spencer School District already offers building trades, woodworking and computer-assisted drawing, Endres said he doesn’t want to ever be in a place where he can’t find a tech ed teacher.

Worden said most of NTC’s graduates stay in the area. And program administrators expect graduates of this program to do the same.

Administrators at both NTC and Marian University are looking to recruit current tech college students and alumni. Completing the curriculum through Marian University is expected to take roughly two-and-a-half years.