Some of Foxconn’s first employees in Wisconsin will not yet be out of school.
The company has announced the Earn and Learn partnership with three Wisconsin colleges or universities.
The idea is that Foxconn will hire college students and give them time to finish their studies.
“Students enrolled in this unique talent development program will become full-time Foxconn employees with health and other benefits such as time off with pay to learn and earn credits on campus,” Foxconn Director of U.S. Strategic Initiatives Alan Yeung said in a statement. “Our trainees earn credits at their respective colleges and universities, the skills and knowledge acquired from this pioneering program on campus, as well as the experience they gain while working at Foxconn.”
Gateway Technical College, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and the Chippewa Valley Technical College are the three schools that have signed on thus far for Earn and Learn. Foxconn said other universities will be invited. The company is reportedly working on campuses in Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay.
Both UW Parkside and Gateway Technical College are in Kenosha, which is just south of Foxconn’s upcoming facility in Racine County.
UW Parkside Chancellor Deborah Ford said having a major innovator and employer so close will mean a lot of great things for her students.
“This Foxconn Earn and Learn Program has the potential to broaden the talent pool throughout Wisconsin,” Ford said. “It’s a valuable opportunity to learn in and out of the classroom, observe and immerse in a company culture, and receive financial support to achieve the goal of a university degree.”
Gateway President and CEO Bryan Albrecht concurred with Ford, adding, “Gateway Technical College is proud to partner with Foxconn in delivering workplace skills and advanced technical training that is embedded in this unique program. Students will benefit from the program by combining classroom knowledge with real-world work experience found throughout Foxconn’s ecosystem in Wisconsin.”
There is no word when the Earn and Learn program will begin officially. Foxconn is hoping to have its facility in Mount Pleasant open by the end of 2020.
Benjamin Yount reports on Illinois and Wisconsin statewide issues for The Center Square. Reposted with permission.
