Promoting the Regional Brand
The digital upskilling revolution – New North gener8tor Initiative
MEDIUM NEW NORTH – gener8tor’s mission is simple: to be the best partner for a community to invest in its best and brightest. Exactly one year ago today that mission was tested with a call to solve a digital upskilling problem in middle America. Overnight, the company was thrust headfirst into a ‘third wave’ reality at the height of a global pandemic. The ‘third wave’ as defined by Steve Case is as follows:
“We are entering a new phase of technological evolution, a phase where the Internet will be fully integrated into every part of our lives — how we learn, how we heal, how we manage our finances, how we get around, how we work, even what we eat. As the Third Wave gains momentum, every industry leader in every economic sector is at risk of being disrupted. That’s the Third Wave…”
The spoiler is that the third wave is here; Virtual learning is now the new norm and the development of new ways to invest in the growth and success of entrepreneurs is the solution for the ages.
For most industry leaders, this solution presented a daunting challenge: How does a company invest in digital upskilling in a way that helps grow the business now and into the future? For gener8tor, this solution presented an opportunity: What would it take to leverage our current tech accelerator model to pilot a successful skills gap accelerator, specific to individuals who are currently under or unemployed, in our own backyard (Northeastern Wisconsin)?
In partnership with tech giants Microsoft and LinkedIn and regional partners such as New North, Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation and Thrivent, gener8tor embarked to do exactly that... Read More 1>
Economic Development Feature
A Greenville homebuilder is bringing badly needed workforce housing to Fox Valley. He wants to go smaller and cheaper. It's not easy.
POST CRESCENT
McHugh owns Tom McHugh Construction LLC, a Greenville-based homebuilding company that specializes in production building, also called tract building.
Here's how it works: McHugh buys a chunk of lots in a subdivision from a developer. He offers buyers an option of five floor plans to choose from, then builds the homes all in one batch so he can get a volume discount on high-quality materials and reduce the cost for the buyer....Read More 2> Expansion and Business Development in the New North
Deadline extended to complete Northeast Wisconsin Benefit Survey
FOX CITIES CHAMBER FOX CITIES - The deadline has been extended from Aug. 16 to Sept. 3 for participation in the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Northeast Wisconsin Benefit Survey. The annual survey is a program of the Fox Cities Regional Partnership—the economic development division of the Fox Cities Chamber—with support from United Way Fox Cities, Child Care Resource Referral, Inc., and the Community Early Learning Center. “We know the summertime can be difficult for participation in projects like this, but we still need more responses to strengthen our final report so that it is as useful as possible to employers,” said Eric Broten, the Chamber’s Director of Business Retention and Expansion. “We hope that by extending the deadline a wide variety of employers across our region will be able to participate in this important survey before Labor Day.”... Read More 3> Economic Development Feature
The challenges and rewards of rural economic development
WISCONSIN COUNTIES FLORENCE - Rural Economic Development Organizations (EDO's) often face different challenges and obstacles than their urban peers. However, there are strategies to employ and benefits to leverage that are unique to rural areas... Read More 4> (article starts on page 27)
Expansion and Business Development in the New North
Appleton's former Conway Hotel site could become home to new mixed-use development
WLUK
APPLETON - The space the Conway Hotel and a senior housing facility in downtown Appleton once sat on could soon be the home of a new type of building.
Developers have reached out to the city and are proposing to build a new mixed-use development, on the 100 block of East Washington Street.
If it seems as though apartments, condos and other places to live have been popping up all over downtown Appleton, it’s because they have...
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Research and Trends in NE Wisconsin
What is a living wage in NE Wisconsin? MIT's tool has the answer
WFRV
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a tool that lets residents see what the living wage is for anywhere from Marinette all the way to Manitowoc.
If you find yourself struggling to pay bills despite a steady income, you may be simply be getting priced out by the high cost of living in your state or metropolitan area.
An updated tool from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is helping Americans determine whether a person’s income is enough to live comfortably in their area...
Read More 6> Encourage Educational Attainment
Virtual reality simulation becomes important tool for NWTC’s nursing program
WBAY
GREEN BAY - A field already taxed heavily by the pandemic is stretched even more thin by the continuous demand for more health care workers.
While COVID-19 changed a lot of things for students, health educators at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) knew they couldn’t let it delay a student’s progress, so they quickly came up with a virtual reality solution to keep nursing students on track.
“We did not have the opportunity for students to attend clinicals at hospitals or any clinical agencies so we needed to try and figure out how we can get students through and graduate,” said Brian Krogh, Associate Dean of Health Sciences at NWTC.
Within a week, virtual reality simulations became the heart of learning...
Read More 7> Expansion and Business Development in the New North
Discover Green Bay to seek $2 million grant for new visitor center
PRESS TIMES
ASHWAUBENON - Following Gov. Tony Evers’ announcement of $10 million in grants available for tourism-related investment projects, Discover Green Bay, formerly known as the Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, will seek $2 million to help build a new visitor center.
Evers announced grants of up to $3.5 million will be awarded to regional entities through an application process for eligible projects, such as convention centers, travel infrastructure, public or nonprofit attractions, etc.
The grants are being funded as part of the state’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act dollars being distributed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Wisconsin’s tourism industry was one of the hardest-hit throughout the coronavirus pandemic, but these folks are innovative, dedicated and resilient, and we’re working to make sure our tourism industry can bounce back from this pandemic,” Evers said. “These investments in tourism infrastructure are not only critical to ensuring that recovery continues, but that our investments help build a strong future for the industry to continue to grow.”
Discover Green Bay President/CEO Brad Toll said receiving a $2 million grant would make it possible for construction to begin on the new visitor center, which was first announced in September 2018...
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