Episode 44
Grace Bruins sits down with Pete Rettler, the dynamic campus dean of Moraine Park Technical College in West Bend. Pete shares insights into the transformative changes happening at Moraine Park and how these developments are equipping the future workforce with essential skills.
They discuss the impact of a $55 million referendum that led to significant infrastructural improvements, highlighting the expanding opportunities in advanced manufacturing and healthcare training. Pete also shares his perspective on the evolving perception of two-year degrees and the growing interest in technical education among young students and adult learners alike.
Learn the importance of embracing change and discovering opportunities in technical education when you tune in. For listeners interested in exploring more, visit morainepark.edu to learn about Moraine Park Technical College's programs and offerings.
Episode Highlights:
08:26 - Parents want their kids to go to college. They don't want them to go to tech school. So I always push people to say we're a two-year college. If you want to choose, we've got articulation agreements with just about everybody. We recently signed 50 some with UWM. So if you want to continue your education, move on then. But I would say the only thing that pushes people now to four-year degrees or pushes students is parents.
14:09 - With the new center now, that's all moving back to campus. Those students now will get the same services that when they're in Jackson, we can't give them all the student life activities and everything. Free meals that we can do at the campus.
17:30 - UWM has bent over backwards for us, and we see them as a real partner. The plan is to have a presence on our campus in West Bend where there could be a university center. I'll say there will be a university center where we're looking at different degrees right now. So two-year degree at Moraine Park in A, B, or C, transfer, and now we can go face to face if that's what the student chooses at the West Bend campus getting UWM credit. So we're looking at 2026 to start some of those classes. We're looking in the area of IT and Business and other areas.
The Banking on Business podcast is aimed at helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses with practical strategies they can start using today. Hosted by Grace Bruins, Marketing Officer at Horicon Bank, each episode features an expert guest and explores ways to innovate the way you do business.