BTC board approves training facility in Milton
TOWN OF ROCK--More students will acquire skills to fill an expanding manufacturing workforce in southern Wisconsin if Blackhawk Technical College’s new venture succeeds as officials hope.
The college’s district board voted unanimously Thursday to lease a vacant manufacturing building in Milton and convert it into an “advanced manufacturing training center.”
The college will move its manufacturing programs to the new center, which is scheduled to open for the fall semester in 2014.
The lease will cost $155,125 per year for 10 years, with options for two five-year extensions and the option to buy at any time, said college President Tom Eckert.
The district plans to borrow $4.21 million to renovate and furnish the 105,100-square-foot building at 15 N. Plumb St. in Milton.
The Janesville Transit System bus that already stops in Milton will include a stop at the center, said Renea Ranguette, vice president for finance and operations.
With staff, utilities, maintenance and associated costs, the center would cost an estimated $528,725 a year to operate, according to a memo prepared for the board. Tuition and fees would cover $370,350 of that cost, for a net increase of $158,375 to the college’s operating costs.
The Wisconsin Technical College System Board still needs to approve the lease for the project to go forward.
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Feb 23, 2013 at 1:48 p.m.
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Earth to setinmyways:
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The "Trades" or "Slums" are the exact courses who are getting Millions of dollars invested..
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Also, the whole idea of the expanded facilities in Milton goes far beyond the extra much needed space... Industrial programs can work together... Welding with Machine shop... Machine shop with Mech design... Industrial engineering with Industrial Maint..All of them linked with Robotics, and any combination... .
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The shops will be directly linked with industrial sized physical pathways for forklifts and cranes, rather than linolium hallways... Real industrial space for real industrial training.
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The student experience and cross polination with other programs? So there won't be any flirting with the nurses? or the Milton students may have to drive to janesville to see a comedian or get a free taco... Big deal... Milton campus students will cross polinate with their peers in industry! That facillity will be huge as far as size goes, more than doubling the size of those "slum" labs... Much bigger than North campus as far as population..
Feb 22, 2013 at 9:27 p.m.
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Why are our tax monies being used for a private school? They charge tuition to the residents. Why are we as tax payers paying for this?
Feb 22, 2013 at 2:34 p.m.
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Grady, that is good, but how about interaction with students in different programs, or the library. Or maybe some of the STUDENT funded activities they have going on during the day. There is much more than just classes for many, but BTC does not see that for part of their enrollment. BTC has thumbed its nose at the classes of "TRADE SCHOOL". They want to eliminate that idea. When I was there I called the area the "slums". I asked one VP of education about things and she said she had not been to that area in "awhile". I still remember, we had one wooden bench to sit on and the rest of the school has many cusioned chairs and couches, LOL, It is like the slums, they know its there, but just don't want to acknowledge its existence.
Feb 22, 2013 at 12:13 p.m.
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Great for Milton, seems waste for taxpayers to fund yet another (and a non-centralized) BCT facility.
BTC seems to have (mine and your TAX) MONEY to BURN. often on pipedreams that do little aside from expand BCT operations, their own staff's employment, and FTEs.
Talk about a self-serving pyramid scheme/scam!
Feb 22, 2013 at 11:39 a.m.
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Great for Milton. @setinmyways, it is my understanding that the core classes will also be held at the Milton facility so students won't have to commute so everything a student will need to get a degree, in say welding for example, will be held at the new facility.
Feb 22, 2013 at 10:17 a.m.
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It is good for Milton, that is for sure. My problem is that it isolates students, sort of like the north campus. Finally BTC can get rid of all that scum form those industrial progams. If they could only get rid of Auto tech from their to they would be happy. When I was there that end of school was treated as 2nd class. I hope it has changed. How will some of the core classes work? Will there be separate sessions in Milton, or will they be forced to commute? The students will get no interaction with students from other programs either. Also, how will thier activities dollars be spent, will there be a separate activities progam at the new center, or are they expected to commute. Good decision, but many questions arise about fairness. I hope the students do not get shortchanged. An equal experience for all is needed, not just provide for the "good" courses
Feb 22, 2013 at 9:33 a.m.
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This will be great for Milton!
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