UW-Oshkosh, WPC gathering input for statewide paper industry study
For the Tomahawk Leader
WISCONSIN – Stakeholder meetings are underway for a comprehensive workforce development study of Wisconsin’s papermaking industry.
The research, funded by the WiSys Ignite! Program, is a collaborative effort between the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (UWO)’s Center for Customized Research and Services and the Wisconsin Paper Council (WPC).
The WPC advocates for and represents Wisconsin’s pulp and papermaking industry.
The first stakeholder meeting was held on June 24 at UWO’s Sage Hall. Executives from the region’s paper industry came together to discuss workforce, sustainability and innovation issues the industry faces and possible solutions.
The event began with a welcome from UWO Chancellor Andrew Leavitt, followed by a summary of the project and progress thus far by Jeff Sachse, CCRS interim director, and Stacey Johnson, the WPC’s vice president of forestry, transportation and workforce relations.
“The Wisconsin Paper Council is pleased to partner with UW-Oshkosh on this groundbreaking, statewide study of the workforce needs of our industry,” Johnson said. “Input with our stakeholders from throughout our supply chain is generating new ideas and possible future solutions to our workforce needs.”
The stakeholder group also took part in a facilitated conversation concerning their challenges and insights in the paper industry. Important insights and feedback from the first stakeholder meeting will be included in a final report in the fall.
“The first stakeholder session confirmed much of our research regarding the importance of engaging students and building awareness of the opportunities and sustainability efforts throughout the industry,” Sachse stated.
Two additional stakeholder meetings will take place this summer: Tuesday, Aug. 31, hosted at MidState Technical College in Stevens Point; and Tuesday, Sept. 14, hosted at Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) in Tomahawk.
“Our next two listening sessions will take us to other industry hubs and learn about the unique challenges faced by companies and our education partners in central and northern Wisconsin,” Sachse said. “This is especially important since we know that the paper industry needs to speak with a statewide voice.”
In addition to the stakeholder meetings, the research project also involves collecting data from the paper industry about workforce challenges. Wisconsin companies in the paper industry and the supply chain are encouraged to take the survey at www.uwo.sh/wpc-survey.