 On Sunday and Monday, I
joined governors and business leaders from throughout the Midwest in St. Louis
for the annual Midwest U.S. – Japan Association Conference.
The conference is an
event we look forward to every year because it provides a forum to strengthen
economic, political, and cultural ties between the Midwest region of the United
States and Japan.
This is especially
important for our state. Japan is our fifth largest export destination, and
exports totaled $815 million in 2015. The conference gives us the opportunity
to collaborate with business and government leaders directly to strengthen
economic and business relationships.
In the past few years,
we held trade missions in countries with key industry sectors that match with
Wisconsin’s strengths, including Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Our goal during these trips is to strengthen existing business ties and foster
new ones by demonstrating all Wisconsin has to offer.
Looking forward, we
remain committed to highlighting Wisconsin’s key strengths, like our incredible
workforce and positive economic climate as we continue to attract foreign
investment in our state.
To learn more about the
Midwest U.S. – Japan Association Conference, click below.
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 Last week, we joined the Public Service Commission (PSC) in announcing
$1.5 million in Broadband Expansion Grants, which were awarded to 17 projects
in underserved areas of Wisconsin.
We created the Broadband Expansion Grant Program in the
2011-13 biennial budget, and due to the success of the program, increased funding
for the grants from $500,000 to $1.5 million annually in our 2015-17 biennial
budget.
The grants provide reimbursement for equipment and
construction costs incurred by efforts to expand or improve broadband services
in rural or underserved areas of our state.
We know access to broadband is a crucial part of Wisconsin’s
infrastructure, and these grants help ensure our communities have the resources
needed to support fast and reliable access to the internet.
At the end of the day, fast internet connection help
employers find workers to fill their open positions, improves the quality of
education for our students, and encourages Wisconsin businesses to grow.
The 2017 grant recipients are listed below.
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Last spring, we signed Assembly Bill 742 into law as part of
our college affordability legislative package. The bill creates two new
positions at the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to coordinate
internships with higher education institutions and businesses in Wisconsin.
DWD is able to connect employers to students at universities,
technical colleges, and businesses, who collectively represent our future
talent. Together, we’re working to create new opportunities for students to
experience firsthand what the workplace is like for their chosen career path.
Internships provide college students the opportunity to
develop workplace skills, build a foundation for future employment success, and
establish a network with potential future employers and coworkers, which
provides greater opportunities for mentorship, professional references, and
resume building.
Did you know students who intern with Wisconsin employers are
more likely to stay in Wisconsin?
This is just one of the ways we’re working to ensure student
success in Wisconsin. We want to provide better resources for students to
prepare them to enter our workforce upon graduation.
We enjoy sharing all the great news about our state with you. It is an honor to serve as your Governor and represent the people of Wisconsin.
Sincerely,
 Governor Scott Walker
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