Northeast Wisconsin Technical College: Miller Electric and NWTC partnership brings nearly $1.3 million in equipment to labs

CONTACTS:
Rodee Schneider,
PR/Communications
Office: (920) 498-5496
Cell: (920) 606-6026
Rodee.Schneider@NWTC.edu

Casey Fryda,
PR/Communications
(920) 498-6288
Casey.Fryda@NWTC.edu

Agreement will provide equipment and training opportunities for NWTC welding students in Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay and Wausaukee High School.

(July 30, 2012) GREEN BAY, WI – Miller Electric Mfg. Co. and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College recently announced a strategic partnership to supply nearly $1.3 million of new equipment for NWTC’s welding labs. As part of the agreement, Miller will update the welding and plasma cutting equipment on the NWTC Green Bay and NWTC Sturgeon Bay campuses and in Wausakee High School, providing NWTC students with the most current training technology available.

The three-year agreement, which was signed during an event featuring Miller Electric President Mike Weller and NWTC President H. Jeffrey Rafn, provides approximately $979,000 of equipment to the NWTC Green Bay Campus, $214,000 to the NWTC Sturgeon Bay Campus, and $72,000 to Wausaukee High School.

“By working with companies and businesses, NWTC is able to continually react to industry needs,” said NWTC associate dean, Trades and Technologies Joseph Draves. “For students, this means they’ll be working on the exact technology and machines that businesses are using, giving them current, real-world training.”

The agreement comes at a perfect time for students interested in welding careers. With a strong growth outlook in the manufacturing industry, Wisconsin’s employers are in need of highly skilled welders. According to industry experts, workers with experience and training in current technologies are in highest demand. The agreement between NWTC and Miller provides students access to the technology-driven training employers need.

“Our partnership with NWTC is ideal because it allows Miller to address an overall industry need, while improving the skills of our own workforce through training opportunities from the college,” said Miller Electric President Mike Weller.

In addition to the equipment provided by Miller, the agreement outlines services that ensure NWTC continues to meet the needs of its students and of the workforce. Miller will provide equipment training and classroom support for the College’s Trades and Technologies Department. For its part, NWTC agrees to provide Miller with training credits for its employees.

“The exchange is a win-win for NWTC and Miller,” said Weller. “We provide state of the art equipment so that the students have the latest technology as they start their welding careers, and our employees can take advantage of training credits that will ultimately make Miller more competitive in the workplace.”

The agreement is set to last through June 30, 2015, with the option for an extension through 2017.

About Miller: Miller Electric Mfg. Co., headquartered in Appleton, Wis., is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller brand arc welding products and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW).