University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Student Chapter, affiliated with Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, today announced it placed third overall and second in estimating in the 2026 Construction Management Competition at ABC Convention 2026 in Salt Lake City on March 20. UW-Platteville’s team was 1 of 30 teams who put their construction project leadership skills to the test by completing the same construction management project.

The 2026 UW-Platteville ABC Construction Management Competition Team was represented by students Mitchell Gudenkauf, Drew Polak, Isaac Dommer, Jadyn Fiedler, Gavin Thompson, Quinn Metzger, and Kody Durand.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture (BILSA) will welcome more than 315 students from schools across Wisconsin for the second Wisconsin SkillsUSA regional competition on Friday, Jan. 30. SkillsUSA empowers the next generation of skilled professionals and leaders. As a national nonprofit, it partners with students, teachers and industry leaders to ensure a strong workforce for America’s future. 

“Events like this are so valuable because of their far-reaching benefits,” said Carolyn Keller, dean of the College of BILSA. “High school students gain hands-on learning experiences and opportunities to compete with peers that they might not otherwise have. They also get to see our facilities and begin thinking more seriously about college while interacting with our faculty, staff, and students.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville ABC Construction Management Competition Team showcased their exceptional talent by placing fourth overall in a national competition in Las Vegas that mirrors the challenges of real-world construction management. The four-person team put their leadership and project management skills to the test on a complex, multi-phase construction project. 

“The team had to develop a comprehensive project management plan for a real 27-acre development in Oceanside, California, including a 27,000-square-foot medical facility,” said UW-Platteville alumna Gretchen Bockenhauer, program coordinator and assistant professor of construction management and construction safety management. “It included an organization chart, who’s involved in the project, schedule and estimate, quality control plan and a safety plan. It’s so relatable to what they’re going to be doing when they leave here.” 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture (BILSA) welcomed more than 200 students from over 20 high schools for the regional SkillsUSA competition, showcasing the next generation of skilled professionals. 

SkillsUSA empowers the next generation of skilled professionals and leaders. As a national nonprofit, SkillsUSA works in partnership with students, teachers and industry leaders to ensure America has a skilled workforce.  

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville proudly announces that Sesquicentennial Hall has won the prestigious Grand Prize Award from Learning by Design Magazine. This national recognition celebrates the best in architecture for higher education, with Sesquicentennial Hall standing out for its innovation, sustainability and contribution to the campus community. The building took top honors by the magazine for new projects under 100,000 square feet.

The jury from Learning by Design commended the project with the following remarks:
 
“It’s a fantastic project overall. The well-designed façade breaks up the large footprint, and the roof terrace enhances sustainability. Natural finishes and curving elements connected students to nature, while visible engineering encourages interest in STEM fields.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s approach to welcoming veterans into its student body reflects a deep commitment to recognizing the extensive practical experience and dedication that these men and women bring to campus. Understanding the unique challenges of transitioning from military to academic life, UW-Platteville goes beyond conventional support to ensure that veterans, active duty and National Guard members are integrated into a community that honors their service and contributions with targeted resources and a supportive network.

Enrolling in the Applied Engineering Technology Management program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville offers students a unique pathway to a dynamic and impactful career across three key disciplines: engineering technology management, construction management and technology and engineering education. Formerly known as the Department of Industrial Studies, it equips students with specialized knowledge and practical skills highly sought after in today’s job market.

"Our Bachelor of Science programs in applied engineering technology effectively bridge the gap between a two-year technology degree and a full engineering degree," said Dr. Wayne Weber, dean of the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture. "These programs emphasize hands-on experiential learning in our state-of-the-art labs, covering robotics, control systems, automation, metals and more. Students also gain industry experience through required internships with our many industry partners."

In a recent show of its continued support of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Management and Construction Safety Management programs, Miron Construction Co., Inc. donated a mini-excavator – giving UW-Platteville students greater access to hands-on experience in the programs.

This donation is the latest milestone in a longstanding partnership between UW-Platteville and the Neenah, Wisconsin-based company. Miron Construction plays an essential role on UW-Platteville’s Construction Management and Construction Safety Management Advisory Board and provides internships to UW-Platteville students. More than 30 UW-Platteville alumni are currently employed at Miron Construction.

Faculty in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Safety Management program have been working on a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for the last two years to provide construction safety training for WisDOT staff in all regional offices – Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Rhinelander, Superior, Waukesha and Wisconsin Rapids.

Gretchen Bockenhauer, program coordinator and assistant professor of construction management, said UW-Platteville’s Construction Safety Management program is unique in that it is one of the few across the country that focuses on construction safety. She said that industry partners and alumni recommended the WisDOT partner with UW-Platteville because the university has so many resources.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s bi-annual Construction Networking Event has set a new company attendance record for the spring event. The event, which started in 2019, has continued to grow in popularity with last semester’s Fall Construction Networking Event having sold out for the first time with over 55 companies in attendance.

Staab Construction Corporation, located in Marshfield, Wisconsin, has pledged $100,000 to support the Construction Management Program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. 

Ben Lee, the CEO of Staab Construction Corporation, stated that the company understands the importance of actively supporting construction-related education, as many of their current employees are graduates of the UW-Platteville programs. Lee expressed his hope that this partnership will benefit both the company and the university, as there is currently a huge need for more people to be involved in the construction industry.

Continuing a long-running and mutually beneficial partnership, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Madison College recently signed a new articulation agreement that will streamline transfer opportunities for students pursuing a degree in technical education.  

The agreement establishes a transfer pathway for students who have completed Madison College's Education Pre-Major Technical Education program and wish to pursue a Bachelor of Science in technology and engineering education at UW-Platteville. To qualify for this program, students must meet certain qualifications, including achieving a cumulative GPA of 2.750 or higher in Madison College's pre-major program. Students can be guaranteed admission to UW-Platteville's highly regarded School of Education by meeting these requirements.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville students have again shown their prowess in industrial studies and metal casting, as four students were awarded scholarships at the Foundry Educational Foundation's College Industry Conference in November. The event, held Nov. 16 and 17 in Chicago, Illinois, was attended by UW-Platteville students, professors and Chancellor Tammy Evetovich and featured industry leaders nationwide.

The students awarded scholarships include Tim Highum, Cole Olson, Garret Starkman and Luca Wagner. These scholarships are just one example of the long-standing partnership between UW-Platteville and the Foundry Educational Foundation, which has been ongoing since 1969. The partnership has helped facilitate and pay for an endowed professor position at UW-Platteville. 

David Heimerdinger, assistant professor in agricultural engineering technology and manufacturing technology management at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, is being recognized with the 2023 Outstanding Faculty/Instructional Academic Staff Academic Advisor Award.

After earning both his Bachelor of Science in agriculture education and Master of Science in industrial technology management with an emphasis in technology education from UW-Platteville, Heimerdinger started his career at the university in 2005.

After teaching in the industrial studies department for 15 years, he joined the School of Agriculture in 2020, splitting his time between agriculture and industrial studies. Over the years, Heimerdinger has advised students from various programs and continues to do so, currently advising construction management, industrial technology management, agribusiness, agricultural education and technology education students.

A team of University of Wisconsin-Platteville construction management students recently traveled to Kissimmee, Florida, for the 2023 Construction Management Competition at the Associated Builders and Contractors Convention. UW-Platteville’s team, Keen Action Construction, tested their construction project leadership skills by completing the same construction management project as 21 other teams and placed fifth overall.

In its latest show of support to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Management and Construction Safety programs, Findorff donated a telehandler, to be used in the university’s Construction Lab. Officials from UW-Platteville celebrated the arrival of the new equipment last week and remarked on the impact it will have on students’ experience in the program.

“We pride ourselves on experiential learning. We pride ourselves on those hands-on experiences, and this construction lab does exactly that,” said UW-Platteville Interim Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich, speaking to a crowd of UW-Platteville faculty, staff and students and Findorff representatives at the Construction Lab. “Without the support of our corporate sponsors and donors, I don’t think we could do this alone.”

Now in its third year, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s bi-annual Construction Networking Event has been growing in popularity, with last month’s spring event hitting record attendance. Both UW-Platteville organizers and participating companies credit the success to the unique format of the event.

Thirty-five construction companies and more than 150 construction management and construction safety management students attended this spring’s event. Students had the opportunity to network with company representatives and learn about their projects, company culture and job and internship opportunities.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Construction Management program announced the official kickoff of its Construction Lab Campaign, thanks to lead donations from Findorff and Portzen Construction, including monetary support, equipment and scholarships.

UW-Platteville is home to a one-of-a-kind Commercial Construction Lab that provides students an opportunity, each year, to build a two-story commercial building from architect- and engineer-designed plans. Students experience operating and working around heavy equipment, fabrication, welding, scaffolding and other common practices, as well as work with industry-standard safety equipment and project management software.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville, along with industry partners, is hosting the inaugural Construction Safety Summit, March 27-30. The event is open to construction safety professionals at any stage in their career, as well as manufacturers and distributors in the safety field.

“This Construction Safety Summit aims to bring the culture of safety in the construction field to the forefront,” said Gretchen Bockenhauer, program coordinator and assistant professor of building construction management and lead organizer of the summit. “We hear from everyone in industry how important it is to create a culture of safety and the mindset of leadership will follow.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Industrial Studies will host Mike Bellaman, president and CEO of the national Associated Builders and Contractors organization, on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in Room 103, Doudna Hall.

ABC is a national trade association representing more than 21,000 members from 68 chapters across the United States. Bellaman has served in the role of president and CEO since 2011, in which he helps members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably. Bellaman will discuss his career path.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville has a big supporter in Hensel Phelps – a commercial contractor and construction company headquartered in Colorado. The company comes to construction events, career fairs and has partnered with the university to speak to classes and host alumni Zoom events, providing faculty and students with insight into the construction industry and what the changes and challenges are.

“The benefits of partnering with Hensel Phelps are endless,” said Gretchen Bockenhauer, program coordinator and assistant professor in the construction management program at UW-Platteville.

UW-Platteville alumni at Hensel Phelps are part of UW-Platteville’s advisory boards, which help give direction for changes in the construction management and construction safety management programs.

They say good things come in threes. If that's the case, students at Madison College and UW-Platteville will be happy to learn about three new transfer agreements between the schools. They involve programs in business management, construction management and criminal justice. 

"For our collective students, these agreements provide a clear path toward a bachelor’s degree, or higher, in these exciting and high demand fields," said Dr. Turina Bakken, provost of Madison College. 

The agreements will allow Madison College students to transfer their associate degree credits directly to UW-Platteville's bachelor's degree programs.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville TeamWorks team placed third out of 14 post-secondary schools in the Construction SkillsUSA national competition in Atlanta, Georgia. Team members are Noelle Elfering, Brennan Sullivan, Jake Gathje and Henry James. Duane Elfering, UW-Platteville’s technology education coordinator, is the TeamWorks team advisor.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville cast in steel team won the grand prize at the Steel Founders’ Society of America (SFSA) CastExpo 2022 Cast in Steel competition in Columbus, Ohio, on April 24.

The 2022 competition challenged university students to use modern casting tools to creatively design and produce a functioning version of a Celtic leaf sword. Each sword was put through a series of tests appropriate for these types of swords.

UW-Platteville competed against 34 other teams, including teams from UW-Madison, Ohio State University, Penn State University and Texas A&M. Despite being a smaller school, team captain Tyler Bleifuhs, an industrial technology management major with a minor in metals processing technology and German from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, credits UW-Platteville’s first-place win to a great team and professors dedicated to the metalcasting program and the competition.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville TeamWorks team recently qualified for the Construction SkillsUSA national competition. Team members are Noelle Elfering, Brennan Sullivan, Jake Gathje and Henry James.

TeamWorks, a three-day competition within SkillsUSA, consists of a construction build in teams of four members. Together, teams review a detailed blueprint and special instructions, prepare a material list, create a schedule and action plan and give a presentation before the build. The build is limited on time to simulate a real building project as teams demonstrate their carpentry, roofing, electrical, plumbing and masonry skills. Judging is based on the team’s presentation skills, ability to construct the project per competition specified building codes, jobsite safety and cleanliness, proper use and accountability of tools and equipment and the rate of completion of the project.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumnus and Vice President of Electric Vehicle Excellence at General Motors Tim Herrick recently visited campus and shared advice with students from his 38 years with General Motors, many of which were spent in leadership roles. 

Herrick toured Russell Hall with members of the Industrial Studies Department and Cole Olson, a student who will graduate this May and work at General Motors. He also spoke with students and other members of the campus community in Doudna Hall and at UW-Platteville’s new IDEA Hub on Main Street. Herrick ended the day with a discussion with students in the Society of Automotive Engineers and a tour of the new Sesquicentennial Hall. 

“Skills are great, but to have mentorship and leadership is paramount. If you take anything away from this, please be a steward of mentorship.” –Tim Herrick 

A team of six University of Wisconsin-Platteville construction management students recently competed in the 2022 National Associated Builders and Contractors’ annual Construction Management Competition, where they placed fifth overall. The team was one of only 14 collegiate teams, nationwide, to participate in the competition, held in San Antonio, Texas. The UW-Platteville team included Evan Meyers, Jon Beyer, Logan Niesen, Zach Wynstra, Colton Ervin and Matt Peterson.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Technology Education program recently welcomed a new coordinator. Duane Elfering started full-time as the technology education coordinator last fall after first joining the university in 2020 as an adjunct professor in Construction Management.

As the technology education coordinator, Elfering’s goal is to the grow the program. 

“[The tech ed program] is a feeder program,” said Elfering on the importance of the program. “Applying core classes from the program will help students better understand so that they can fill the skills gap which, in turn, will help with the labor shortage.”

JP Cullen continues to support its long-time relationship with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Management program.

"JP Cullen has partnered with UW-Platteville through student scholarships, advisory committees, program donations, engineering and construction clubs, and guest lectures for 30 years,” said Laura Cullen, fifth-generation owner of JP Cullen. “With over 40 UW-Platteville alums currently on our team and many interns every summer, we recognize UW-Platteville students as hard workers, team players and leaders.”

The partnership started in 1992 when, in celebration of their 100-year anniversary, JP Cullen started giving scholarships to UW-Platteville students. The scholarships are funded through the JP Cullen Foundation, which was formed by Mark, David and Richard Cullen in honor of their father, J.P. Cullen.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior Allison Stencil’s research project has her viewing construction sites through a new lens. The construction management and construction safety management double major is researching the use of both virtual reality and augmented reality software to determine how it improves pre-planning on construction sites. As part of her project, Stencil will train UW-Platteville faculty on this cutting-edge technology and help implement its use in UW-Platteville construction management and construction safety management courses.

Stencil, who is originally from Greenville, Wisconsin and also pursuing a double minor in business administration and architecture, described the two components of her project.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently hosted the 2022 Spring Construction Networking Event. Held twice a year, the event allows UW-Platteville students to network with company representatives and learn about their projects, company culture, and job and internship opportunities. More than 200 students attended the spring event, networking with more than 23 companies. 

“Both the spring and fall Construction Networking Events were a huge success,” said Gretchen Bockenhauer, lecturer and program coordinator of the Construction Management program. “We heard from the companies in attendance that they appreciated the opportunity to network with students in a more informal setting. They found the opportunity to sit around a table and engage in deeper conversation with students to be more meaningful than just a 30-second elevator pitch from each side.”  

Hundreds of high school students from across the Midwest packed the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus for the third annual Construction Career Day held on Oct. 6. The event featured nearly 300 students from 14 schools and dozens of construction companies. Construction Career Day gives ninth through 12th-grade students the opportunity to learn about careers within the construction industry.

“It was a huge day for the UW-Platteville Construction Management program,” said Gretchen Bockenhauer, lecturer and program coordinator. “We had over 30 sponsors from all different construction companies. Students participated in hands-on activities, went off-site, did hands-on labs and companies got to do hands-on activities with them.”

MidWestOne Bank Foundation has pledged $5,000 over two years toward the completion of a hands-on student construction classroom in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Safety Lab.

“MidWestOne is proud to partner with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Management program,” said Roger Dammen, first vice president and regional credit officer/market president of MidWestOne Bank. “As an alumnus of UW-Platteville, I know first hand the quality education offered by the college and how it furthers the careers of graduates. We hope our donation to the construction lab will enhance the hands-on experience of current and future students.”

As the fall semester gets underway, University of Wisconsin-Platteville students are once again filling the hallways of the newly renovated Boebel Hall, but for one student, touring the floors has an extra special meaning. Since May of 2020, UW-Platteville senior Matt Babich, who is double majoring in construction management and construction safety management, has been interning for Miron Construction as a project management intern. Miron Construction is the company responsible for the Boebel Hall remodel and the building of Sesquicentennial Hall – two projects Babich has been heavily involved in.

Officials from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Northeast Iowa Community College met on Friday, Aug. 27, to sign articulation agreements that will streamline transfer opportunities for students.

Graduates of a two-year Associate of Arts business degree or an Associate of Applied Science degree in select industrial technology programs from NICC may seamlessly transfer their credits to UW-Platteville to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration or industrial studies. While articulation agreements between the two institutions have been in place for years, officials say these newly revised agreements will better streamline the transfer process, encouraging more students to pursue their bachelor’s degree. 

With 31 years of experience in the safety profession, Mark Miner, who is currently the program safety coordinator in University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Industrial Studies Department, is always looking for new ideas to incorporate into the program’s curriculum. During National Safety Week, he found inspiration just down the road from UW-Platteville in the Potosi (Wisconsin) School District.

“As a past industrial arts teacher, I understand the challenges of creating a safety-minded culture within an organization, and a high school shop environment has its unique challenges,” said Miner, adding that any innovative way to address these challenges is something worth exploring and adding to his curricula. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville was recently designated as an official Mid-America OSHA Education Center training site, making it one of the only universities with a construction management program to be designated as such.  Hosted through the Department of Industrial Studies’ Construction Management and Construction Safety Management programs, this designation will allow industry partners to send employees to UW-Platteville to be certified in Occupational Safety and Health Administration courses.

Through a memorandum of understanding between the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Wisconsin Technical Colleges, students can transfer their credits from an approved associate's degree program to UW-Platteville. According to the agreement, students transferring into industrial studies will be awarded 27 credits and the requirement for a contiguous minor will be waived. Students will also receive credit for all articulated general education coursework, significantly streamlining students' time to graduation.

Dr. Karim Iskandar, UW-Platteville assistant professor of construction management in the department of industrial studies, always knew he would be involved in the field after watching his father work in the construction industry. “He managed heavy construction and industrial projects including airports, power plants and cement manufacturing plants,” said Iskandar. “At a young age he showed me pictures of those projects being completed. It inspired me.”

To embark on his career path, Iskandar earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, and became a project control engineer. It was during his time as an engineer Iskandar decided to further his education. He attended UW-Madison, where he received his master’s and doctorate degrees in civil engineering with an emphasis in construction management.

Last week, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Industrial Studies hosted an open house to celebrate the newly-renovated electronics and industrial controls systems laboratory. Located in Russell Hall, the lab is one of two automation labs that underwent a $1.5 million renovation to offer students the opportunity to use world-class technology and give them an edge in the workforce.

The lab space serves a range of courses – from basic AC/DC to advanced automation and control. Lab activities include electronic devices exploration, troubleshooting, data acquisition and control with LabVIEW, digital logic, instrumentation, circuit analysis and simulation.

Gretchen Bockenhauer grew up in the field of construction, learning from her family’s business. But it was her experience as a student at UW-Platteville that cemented her interest in the field. “My senior year, I applied to be the project manager of construction of the Forensic Investigation Crime Scene House on campus and was selected,” said Bockenhauer. “Through this position, I realized construction management is what I wanted to have a career in.” Now, as lecturer and co-program coordinator for UW-Platteville’s Building Construction Management program, she enjoys sharing her experience with students and helping them find their own passion in the construction management field.

What do you enjoy about teaching at your alma mater?

A team of five University of Wisconsin-Platteville construction management students took first place in the area of safety and second place overall, among 26 teams, at the recent 2020 National Associated Builders and Contractors’ annual Construction Management Competition.

The UW-Platteville students included David Regan, a senior building construction management major from Hickory Hills, Illinois; Bailey McGuire, a junior building construction management and construction safety management major from Darlington, Wisconsin; Joe Crubaugh, a junior building construction management and business administration major from Monroe, Wisconsin; Sawyer Schaefer, a senior building construction management major from Greenfield, Wisconsin; and Cole Oberle, a senior building construction management major from Lena, Illinois.

Thanks to a recent donation from industry partner Kraemer Brothers, LLC, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville building construction programs now have a piece of new equipment to offer students additional hands-on experience. The commercial construction firm in Plain, Wisconsin, recently donated a 753 Bobcat skid steer. 

“Kevin Kraemer, executive vice president of Kraemer Brothers and a 1977 UW-Platteville graduate, saw the equipment that was needed at our hands-on labs, the Commercial Construction Lab and the Road and Infrastructure Lab, and stepped up,” said Gretchen Bockenhauer, lecturer in the Building Construction Management program.

The skid steer will be utilized in both labs and give students in the Construction Management and Construction Safety Management programs the experience working around and operating this type of equipment.

Julie Durst, a lecturer in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Department of Industrial Studies, is playing a significant role in Grant County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Called on for her expertise and nearly two decades of experience in the area of safety and risk management, Durst is serving as public information officer for the Southwest Wisconsin county during this crisis. In this role, she works in the Grant County Emergency Operations Center to conduct media interviews, creates webpages, social media posts and news releases to share critical information. Additionally, she assists with the collection and distribution of personal protective equipment.

Thanks to partnerships forged between industry and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Construction Management and Construction Safety Management programs, custodial staff at UW-Platteville have been able to use advanced equipment to ensure their safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry partner Miron Construction Co., Inc., in Neenah, Wisconsin, recently provided the university with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator, or PAPR.

A PAPR is a type of personal protective equipment that uses a blower to pass contaminated air through a filter and then supplies purified air to the face piece.

Although there has not been a documented case of COVID-19 at the university, the facilities staff has been proactively preparing for several possibilities.

With the recent UW System Board of Regents approval of a Bachelor of Science in construction management at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, more students will have the opportunity to experience the university’s one-of-a-kind construction labs, including the newly launched Road and Infrastructure Construction Lab.

In 2016, UW-Platteville launched its Commercial Construction Lab, and two years later broke ground on the Road and Infrastructure Construction Lab, which students experienced for the first time last fall. According to Gretchen Bockenhauer, UW-Platteville lecturer of building construction management, both labs were made possible because of support from industry partners, and are the only facilities of their kind at a U.S. university.

Students in the American Foundry Society Club at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently topped their previous successes in a regional casting competition by not only taking a first-place finish, but also earning the competition’s Imagination in Metalcasting Award – a first in the competition’s history. The team took home a total of $4,100 in award money.

The 2020 American Foundry Society Wisconsin Regional Casting Competition was held Feb. 13-15 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Eleven students attended with advisors Dr. Kyle Metzloff, professor of industrial studies, and Henry Frear, associate lecturer in industrial studies. The team competed against six other schools, including large programs such as Michigan Tech University and UW-Madison.

In a commitment to providing students with the most relevant hands-on education and advancing the workforce in the state of Wisconsin, Dr. Bandara Gamini, Automation and Electronics program coordinator in the Department of Industrial Studies, recently visited GE Healthcare in Madison, Wisconsin, to further the university-industry relationship.

According to Gamini, Wisconsin is a leader in high-tech manufacturing – such as medical devices – and exports internationally, including to China. He was able to confirm, in his recent visit to GE Healthcare, that the skills students are learning on campus are directly contributing to the manufacturing of these instruments.

As part of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s goal to build strategic partnerships with industry in Wisconsin, a group of faculty and staff members – from multiple disciplines across campus – recently participated in the Industry 4.0 Impact on Manufacturing Workforce conference, sponsored by the NEW Manufacturing Alliance.

A team of University of Wisconsin-Platteville students in the Building Construction Management and Building Construction Safety Management programs recently competed against 21 other universities at the national Associated Builders and Contractors Construction Management Competition, held in Long Beach, California. UW-Platteville team members included Trevor Meyers, Sam LeRoy, Adam Masters, Zac Johnson, Mackenzie Arnold and Peter Schumacher.

Held during the ABC National Convention, the annual competition provides teams an opportunity to experience an actual project that exhibits unique characteristics and issues. This year’s project focused on construction of a new events center and replacement of the Aquatic Center at Edgewood High School in West Covina, California. This included upgrades and improvements to the selected site and area development.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Industrial Studies Department received an equipment donation valued at more than $300,000 from Rockwell Automation, Inc. The presentation was acknowledged in an appreciation ceremony Thursday in UW-Platteville’s Russell Hall.

The Industrial Studies program received six complete brand new model motor control centers (also known as MCC), which provide a compact modular grouping for motor control and electrical distribution components, controlling some or all electric motors and some process controllers from a central location.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Industrial Technology Management program's building construction safety management emphasis and occupational safety management emphasis have been approved as Qualified Academic Programs by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. The recognition provides students the opportunity to apply with BCSP for the Graduate Safety Practitioner designation after graduation. The GSP meets the credential requirement for the Certified Safety Professional allowing those who hold the designation to waive the Associate Safety Professional certification examination.