WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Wisconsin manufacturers report workforce shortages as their top concern, with demand for technical skills projected to increase 50% over the next decade. Manitowoc addresses this challenge through coordinated partnerships rather than isolated efforts. “Probably two years ago, whenever we would walk into one of our local manufacturers, if they didn’t bring up labor in the first five minutes of the conversation, it was a bit shocking,” Tegen recalls. to a $1.9 million federal grant for environmental cleanup, with plans for approximately 60 apartments. “It’s not always about just annexing new property on the periphery,” Tegen emphasizes. “It’s taking a look at what we need to improve within the community as well.” The River Point district exemplifies this approach, transforming 20 acres of former railroad land into a mixed-use neighborhood.“We’ve got just around a hundred units of new residential there, a couple of new commercial businesses,” he notes. 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
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