Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

An automotive assembly line worker, Jon wanted to make himself more marketable and find a new career. He chose the Lab Technician Assistant program after learning that demand in this field is expected to grow.

He appreciates the hands-on, real-world style of the technical college. "You get right into the specifics of the field you are going for, so you very quickly gain the skills," he says. Jon enjoys his work as a Quality Assurance Manager in the cheese industry.

Sal came to Blackhawk Technical College to acquire the skills and education he needed to achieve the dream of owning his own business. He learned both the economic and environmental aspects of running his business.

Sal's Landscape and Garden Center provides planning, establishment and care of public, private and commercial landscapes. "If you put something in your heart, and you work really hard at it you can accomplish anything you want," he says.

Andrew dreamed of a career in the golf industry. His dreams became a reality, thanks in part to his instructors in the Golf Course Management program at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (Southwest Tech). The program and the instructors really prepared Andrew to gain the necessary skills and be successful.

"There is no need to travel out of state to gain the education you need for a career in the golf industry. The Golf Course Management program at Southwest Tech is close and is an outstanding educational opportunity," states Andrew.

Like many technical college students, Justin worked full-time while attending Lakeshore Technical College (LTC). He also happened to work third shift while taking classes. Maintaining a tough schedule was a little easier with all the support the college gave him. He especially appreciated the small class sizes and individual attention he received.

"My instructors always made themselves available if I had questions outside of class," Justin says. "I think the biggest lesson was that I could learn new things and do well at things that I had limited or no knowledge of before. This gave me the confidence to adapt and learn in order to do my job well."