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Training Clearinghouse will allow companies to share existing resources

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
If employees in Portage County need training, they will have a single location to find out where they can get that training.

The Portage County Business Council is developing a Training Clearinghouse that dovetails with the new Skill Assessment Center, as well as the Business Training Center.

Brian Doudna, the council's executive director, said the clearinghouse is a concept that has significant benefit for area companies so they can share training resources. The clearinghouse concept also received a $100,000 federal grant obtained through U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau.

"The approach is to provide a single training program, using existing resources where companies can share curriculum across industry sectors," he said.

The program would provide business-designed and cost-effective training locally, give access to nationally recognized programs or series and reduce costs of travel and lodging.

A steering committee of business leaders with in-house trainers and small business owners is looking into the clearinghouse, Doudna said.

The goal is to have in-house corporate trainers provide training to area residents or other small businesses to maximize training resources, he said. That would upgrade the skill and knowledge of local employees and support hiring and retention.

As an example, he said, instead of companies sending 15 people to become fork lift trainers, there would only need three to five trainers in the area to provide the training that other businesses could access locally.

That way, by keeping the training local, employees would have more family time, he said, and companies wouldn't have to send employees elsewhere for the training. "We want to retain as much family and home time as possible for area residents," Doudna said.

Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield businesses have joined Portage County businesses in working on the project, he said, and are identifying the type of training needed, as well as training that exists locally.

"Our goal is we'll be able to link up businesses," he said. "If someone is trying to bring in a speaker on the family medical leave law, we can reduce costs and bring a person in locally."

The council has received commitments from area businesses that have trainers to open up their training to the local community, he said, and wants to launch more than one program by August and September.

The Business Training Center will have a learning lab that will be linked to business sites in Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids and Rhinelander through Nicolet Technical College, Doudna said.

Kate Sherry, director of business training for the Business Council, said the council wants to educate businesses in the county about the various training programs that are available.

"We need to continue to build strengths in the Portage County workforce," she said.



	Training Clearinghouse will allow companies to share existing resources By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette If employees in Portage County need training, they will have a single location to find out where they can get that training. The Portage County Business Council is developing a Training Clearinghouse that dovetails with the new Skill Assessment Center, as well as the Business Training Center. Brian Doudna, the council's executive director, said the clearinghouse is a concept that has significant benefit for area companies so they can share training resources. The clearinghouse concept also received a $100,000 federal grant obtained through U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau. "The approach is to provide a single training program, using existing resources where companies can share curriculum across industry sectors," he said. The program would provide business-designed and cost-effective training locally, give access to nationally recognized programs or series and reduce costs of travel and lodging. A steering committee of business leaders with in-house trainers and small business owners is looking into the clearinghouse, Doudna said. The goal is to have in-house corporate trainers provide training to area residents or other small businesses to maximize training resources, he said. That would upgrade the skill and knowledge of local employees and support hiring and retention. As an example, he said, instead of companies sending 15 people to become fork lift trainers, there would only need three to five trainers in the area to provide the training that other businesses could access locally. That way, by keeping the training local, employees would have more family time, he said, and companies wouldn't have to send employees elsewhere for the training. "We want to retain as much family and home time as possible for area residents," Doudna said. Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield businesses have joined Portage County businesses in working on the project, he said, and are identifying the type of training needed, as well as training that exists locally. "Our goal is we'll be able to link up businesses," he said. "If someone is trying to bring in a speaker on the family medical leave law, we can reduce costs and bring a person in locally." The council has received commitments from area businesses that have trainers to open up their training to the local community, he said, and wants to launch more than one program by August and September. The Business Training Center will have a learning lab that will be linked to business sites in Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids and Rhinelander through Nicolet Technical College, Doudna said. Kate Sherry, director of business training for the Business Council, said the council wants to educate businesses in the county about the various training programs that are available. "We need to continue to build strengths in the Portage County workforce," she said.