Gov. Walker outlines training program to land Wisconsin students Foxconn jobs

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Gov. Scott Walker announced a new plan Thursday to spend $20 million on education programs to help Wisconsin students get the jobs coming into the area from Foxconn and other sources.

"There's no reason why anyone here in Milwaukee or in Madison or in Green Bay or in Wausau or any other parts of the state, should not be gainfully employed in a career path that supports themselves and someday their family," Walker said.

The money will help train students in job specific skills employers want. It will also fund ways for high school kids to complete college courses.
WU System President Raymond Cross says that makes college more affordable.

"If you want to decrease the cost of going to college, find a way to complete the first year while you're still in high school," Cross said.

Cross says the money will keep the state's most talented students in Wisconsin.

"And if we don't do something about not only preparing our students to better engage with businesses in this state and their future we're going to lose them."

Walker says the training will help students find jobs with a lot of companies, including Foxconn. He also says Democrats are bringing up the $4.5 billion cost of Foxconn related expenses, for political reasons.

"It's a political year," Walker said. "There are people who if I say the sun is out will say it's night. It's dark. And with Foxconn, people who I believe in the past would have said this is a great thing, this is a wonderful thing for the state, going into an election want to say otherwise."

The $20 million was approved for use last year. Walker says his plan is to start spending it on those education and training programs in 2019.

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