WETA Heritage

Wisconsin Employment and Training Association

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WETA Heritage

By John M. Cooney, Past President

Do you know the history of your Employment Training Association? When did it form? What is its purpose? In an attempt to help all members to better appreciate their Wisconsin Employment and Training Association, I am pleased to share with you a brief history of our association.

WETA actually had its beginnings in the 1960's as a result of a group of Skill Center directors who were actively involved in a training program through the Manpower Development Training Act (MDTA) of 1962. The MDTA program provided an opportunity for professionals to meet and discuss related policy and operational questions which needed to be addressed during those early days of the "War On Poverty".

There was a state association headed up by such notable gentlemen as: Phil Lerman, former Commissioner of the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations (DILHR) and a Director of the Governor's Employment and Training Office (CETO), and Co-director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Urban Outreach Program; and Dr. Merle Bodine a recently retired Bureau Chief at the Wisconsin Board of Vocational and Technical Adult Education.

In those days the association was quite small since there were but a few Skill Centers in Wisconsin. When the Comprehensive Employment Training Act (CETA) became a reality in 1974, the establishment of CETA's prime sponsors and multiple delivery areas across the state resulted in a greater interest among employment and training staff to share with one another information about their program successes, technical information, and other information.

Through the leadership of Llewellyn Daniels, a CETA consultant at the Board of VTAE, a group of CETA staff members from the various prime sponsors and state agencies met in Appleton during the course of the Mid America Conference in June of 1980. This initial meeting focused on the need for a professional association to allow line-staff the opportunity to interact with one another in a formal professional development activity. As a result of that 1980 meeting, a group of individuals met including Don Hogan of Gateway Technical College, Fran Johnson of the State VTAE Board, Rita Chmielewski of Private Sector Services, and several other individuals and myself formed a planning committee.

On June 18, 1981, the first organizational meeting of the Wisconsin Employment and Training Association was held. It had an initial sum in its treasury of $50 inherited from the former Skill Center Directors Association. At that meeting it was agreed to formally name the association WETA. Tom Turcin from the Milwaukee Area Technical College was asked to work with his graphic arts department to create a logo, which is still used today. Officers were elected which included: John Cooney, president; Tom Turcin, vice president; and Rita Chmielewski as secretary/treasurer.

Organizational working committees on by-laws, membership, nominations, and professional development were formed. It was agreed as an initial organizational issue affecting many individuals to keep WETA independent and unaffiliated with any national organization. The primary purpose of the WETA association was to promote cooperation and communication among Employment and Training Association members from a variety of different agencies such as Job Service, VTAE institutions, CETA prime sponsors, DVR, Social Services, and many others. Consequently, the WETA association has remained non-affiliated with national groups to-date.

By 1981, an association constitution had been prepared and presented to the Board of Directors which numbered twelve individuals. In an effort to best meet the professional development purpose of the association it was agreed in 1982 to host an annual conference to allow employment and training professionals to meet, exchange information, and to gather information from guest speakers on current employment and training matters, legislation, financing, service delivery techniques, etc.

With $350 in the treasury, and approximately 75 dues paying members, the association hosted its first annual conference in January 1984 at the Valley Inn in Neenah, Wisconsin. Well over 200 individuals attended this first conference which drew participants from many different employment and training organizations. The constitution was formally adopted by the membership and it was agreed to begin the development and circulation of a newsletter. The first newsletter was approved by the Board of Directors in March of 1984, and it was published through the efforts of Fran Johnson and Rita Chmielewski who worked many hours to collect articles for that first newsletter.

In February of 1985, WETA hosted its second annual conference, again in Neenah, with an excellent turn-out represented heavily with staff from secondary schools, DILHR, VTAE districts, Job Service, and other organizations. At this conference for the first time, recognition awards were distributed for individual excellence and program achievement. By this time the association had grown to over 200 due paying members. During 1985, significant achievements were made in increasing membership, seeking contributions from agencies to support the purpose of WETA, and discussions were held with individuals from Washington D.C. , with national employment and training association groups regarding possible linkages.

The annual conference for 1986 will always be rememberable, not because the conference was held in Wisconsin Rapids at the Mead Inn, but due to the fact that moments before the conference opened on January 28th the tragedy of the space shuttle Challenger disaster occurred. By the time the conference convened its opening session, most members of the association in attendance were visibly shook with the news that the space shuttle had exploded and the fate of the seven astronauts was unknown.

At that conference, however, there were addresses made by representatives of the national Private Industry Council Associations, Bob Knight, the national Alliance for Business, and other major addresses by representatives of DILHR, and DPI. In addition, U.S. senatorial candidate Dave Garvey addressed the association. By now the association was approaching 350 members and had begun to see the fulfillment of its initial dream to have an organization represented from many difference employment and training organizations. Community based organizations including Community Action agencies, the Farmers Union, intercity WISCORE groups, and others began to take active participation in the Wisconsin Employment and Training Association.

Since a number of original WETA members also participate in national Employment and Training Association conferences, an affiliated division of the American Vocational Association, suggestions were made that the Wisconsin Employment and Training Association host the 1987 National Employment and Training Association (NETA) Conference. In May of 1987, this goal was reached and over 350 persons attended the National Employment and Training Association Conference at the Marc Plaza Hotel in Milwaukee, on May 14, through May 17, 1987. The annual WETA conference, for the first and only time since, was a one day conference held on the day proceeding the national conference.

With the number of national speakers, and representatives attending the conference, the association grew in stature and respect among employment and training organizations and professionals. Among the speakers and organizations represented at the 1987 conference were: Wisconsin Department of Development; DILHR; Department of Employment Training Policy; U.S. Department of Education; and others. This conference was also quite well remembered for the social activities which included a pub crawl and a dance which kept the conference attendees busy until "the wee hours" of the morning. It also proved to our colleagues from southern states that "northern" hospitality could be equal to, or better than that found in the "South".

In an attempt to recognize individual contributions to the Wisconsin Employment and Training Association the Board of Directors authorized in 1987, past presidents awards and officers awards to go to those individuals who served the association in those capacities.

At the January 1988 conference in Stevens Point, the first awards were issued to those individuals who had 15 years or more service in working with employment and training programs. At that conference twelve WETA members were recognized for having more than 15 years of service. Annually since then additional senior employment training professionals have been so recognized by the association.

During 1988 discussions began in a formal manner on the possibilities of incorporating the association as a charitable, educational, not-for-profit corporation. Under the direction of Art Besse, then president of WETA, efforts were undertaken to draft by-laws for the association and to explore the financial feasibility of corporate status.

At the annual conference in Wisconsin Dells in 1989. the association agreed to move forward with the plans to incorporate, which was culminated with the adoption of a tentative set of by-laws by the current Board of Directors. The filing of corporation papers with the Secretary of State occurred in late 1989. In addition to pursuing corporate status, the association also in 1989, formally approved the creation of the Dennis Harmon Scholarship Award, named after Dennis Harmon who passed away in 1988 after serving the State of Wisconsin in employment and training programs for almost 20 years.

In January 1990, the association again met in Milwaukee. At this conference the first Dennis Harmon Scholarship Award was presented by Mrs. Harmon.

Today the Wisconsin Employment and Training Association is a strong association of over 300 individuals who represent a broad spectrum of public and private agencies, organizations, and institutions. The interaction between members has provided a positive impact in quality programming in the State of Wisconsin between the many and varied federal and state funding resources including the JTPA, DVR, Vocational Education Act, Adult Education Act, JOBS, legislation, Trade Readjustment Act, Wagner Peyser, and many others.

The State of Wisconsin, with its emphasis on welfare reform and the WEJT/JOBS program recently implemented in many counties throughout the state brings added emphasis for the need for the employment and training community.

It is with a certain amount of pride that those of us who began this organization ten years ago can look back at a decade of progress and growth, and look forward with a vision towards the future of even greater achievements.

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