Career EXCELerate Wisconsin celebrated its latest cohort of students to earn educational certificates through the program operated in partnership with Goodwill North Central Wisconsin (NCW), Fox Valley Technical College and Rawhide Youth Services.

Students in the Winter 2024 cohort completed certificates in Nursing Assistant, Early Childhood Teacher Aide, Professional Truck Driving, Welding Fundamentals, Woodworking Technician and Diesel Technician, Plumbing Fundamentals and Manufacturing Technician.

Career EXCELerate is a comprehensive career-training program that was created in summer 2022 with support from a Workforce Innovation Grant from the state of Wisconsin. The program is offered at no cost to individuals who want to launch a lasting career but are struggling and would benefit from individualized support to advance in their profession, enter a career or return to the workforce.

As of early December, 91% of students who completed Career EXCELerate have either obtained employment or continued with additional education in their field of study within one year of completion. Those who completed the program and attained employment are benefiting from an average increase of approximately $10.05 in wages per hour from intake to their current job.

"Career EXCELerate is more than just the name of a program. It’s made up of a group of individuals who strive to help you succeed,” says Levester Matthews, a Career EXCELerate participant who recently passed his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) test. "The amount of passion and sincerity that’s given while going through a course with the program is the reason it works and will continue to do so.”

Levester recently accepted a job with JD Farms out of New Holstein and hauled his first load on December 6.

The program focuses on providing tracks that have future career development options. Enrollment takes place on an ongoing basis for all educational certificate programs. Educational tracks offered by Career EXCELerate include:

• Nursing Assistant
• Early Childhood Teacher Aide
• Patient Care Technician
• Woodworking Technician
• Plumbing Fundamentals 
• Retail Education
• Welding Fundamentals
• Manufacturing Technician
• Professional Truck Driving - Class A and B CDLs
• Heavy-Duty Vehicle Maintenance - Diesel Technology Assistant