Campus Connection

UWL, Western partnership receives Center of Excellence designation

A regional partnership that includes UW-La Crosse and Western Technical College has earned federal recognition for its efforts to strengthen the inland maritime workforce.

The Corn Belt Ports Rural Logistics & Maritime Training & Education Consortium has been designated as a Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education by the U.S. Maritime Administration. This distinction recognizes high-quality maritime education and workforce development programs across the United States.

The consortium brings together educational institutions, ports, industry partners and workforce organizations from Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri to support the nation's inland maritime industry, a critical economic engine throughout the Midwest and along the Mississippi River.

“We are pleased that the Maritime Administration has recognized this innovative partnership, which will strengthen our communicates and support workforce development in Wisconsin and across the Midwest in these critical industries,” UWL Chancellor James Beeby says. “We look forward to sharing the expertise of our students and faculty, as well as the quality of our programs and partnerships, to advance our maritime workforce.”

Western Technical College President Kirk Bennett says the complementary strengths of the consortium’s partnering institutions will be a valuable asset to workforce development throughout the region.

“The Mississippi River has long served as an economic lifeline for our communities, and this designation recognizes the opportunity we have to shape its future workforce,” Bennett says. “By combining the expertise of our institutions and Western's technical, hands-on training with the needs of industry, we are helping ensure that employers throughout the region have access to the skilled talent required to sustain and strengthen this essential transportation network.”

UWL and Western are uniquely positioned, geographically and programmatically, to support workforce development needs in inland waterways, ports, logistics and maritime operations.

UWL is home to an internationally recognized River Studies Center and a range of academic programs that connect students to careers in freshwater science, research and resource management. The university's state-of-the-art Research Vessel Prairie Springs has expanded opportunities for research, workforce training and industry partnerships.

At Western, programs in engineering technologies, advanced manufacturing, diesel and heavy equipment, welding and fabrication, electromechanical systems, robotics and automation, information technology align with career tracks for maritime administration.

The expected impact of the consortium and its federal designation is multifaceted. Regional leaders emphasize its importance to the broader economy and the future competitiveness of communities along the Mississippi River.

“The Mississippi River is one of our region’s greatest assets, a river known around the world for its power, transport infrastructure and beauty, and is core to the economic growth of our region,” says Sam Scinta, chief executive officer for the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce.

“This [designation] for two of our world-class educational institutions — the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Western Technical College — creates opportunities for the future workforce behind the Northern Grain Belt Ports and the communities that depend on the Upper Mississippi River,” he continues. “This recognition supports our regional effort to build modern, resilient educational pathways that will keep freight moving and our regional economies competitive.”