The state is expanding access to a job training program for young people; instead of being focused on Southeastern Wisconsin, the program will be able to reach high school students around the state. For more than a decade, "Second Chance Partners for Education" has helped train students for careers in manufacturing through apprenticeship programs. Now it will be able to offer those opportunities to students around the state. Reggie Newsom is the state Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development. He says the program's $1.7 million per year budget is not increasing, but that more school districts will be able to vie for the money. "Now they can compete and scale up their programs statewide by competing with other school districts and other consortiums on a statewide level for these dollars. So essentially, based on their programming and partnerships, they can go in and apply for these $1.7 million annually directly instead of working as a sub-contractor, if you will, with other consortiums and school districts." Second Chance Partners for Education is currently training 200 high school students in part time jobs. It boasts of a 90 percent graduation rate for its participants.
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