Photo courtesy of UW System
Dessi Koss sheds light on the unique composition of regional universities and technical colleges as she explains her personal experiences as both a student and an employee in the area. After Koss spent a few years in the work force, she decided to go back and get her engineering degree, and thanks to her local technical college, she was able to graduate in a timely manor in a places that was close to home.
With the high demand for engineers in the work force, the highly skilled, local talent can be harnessed and quickly put to use by individuals like Koss, who received her education from a University of Wisconsin school.
Students in the new collaborative program can start their studies at any one of the 12 NEW ERA schools, which include four technical colleges, five UW colleges, a tribal college and the four-year UW-Green Bay and UW-Oshkosh campuses. Students finishing the program can earn a degree in electrical engineering technology, environmental engineering technology or mechanical engineering technology from either UW-Green Bay or UW-Oshkosh.